Discovering Regret
by pottersweetie
Summary: Slight Pause. Wendy's life is perfect. She has the perfect fiance, perfect home, perfect social standing, perfect life. But when a certain blonde-haired man appeares, everything spins out of control...
1. Remembering Peter

Discovering Regret  
BY: pottersweetie

**Author's Note:** It's been waaaaay to long since I've even thought about Peter Pan. It's been about Harry Potter for awhile and now I've realized I need my Peter again! Not that you care! Lol. I got this idea when I was rereading my old Peter Pan fic. Hope you like it! Enjoy, Read, Review!

**Chapter One  
Remembering Peter**

I had grown up. The fact that Peter wasn't coming back slowly sunk in and I stopped waiting for him, and I didn't keep the window open anymore. Not that I had a choice anyway because Mother and Father sold the house and not long after I decided I would have to forget him and become a grown-up.

_Well children take one last look at the house because after this we're off, father said to us, going to the new-fashioned car to prepare our departure._

I looked up at the house, the big empty home, that I'd known my whole life. John and Michael were playing, not even caring about the fact that we were leaving our home.

I could see the window, the stained-glass window that Peter had flown through, it looked so haunting and creepy without the friendly curtains hanging from the top of it.

All right, everybody in, we're going to the new house! father said cheerfully, John and Michael hurried towards the car but I hung back.

Wendy, dear, come along, Mother called, and with one last longing glance at my home I turned and left.

Oh there you are dear! I'm quickly snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of Daniel's voice. Wendy, I'd like you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Perry, Mr. and Mrs. Perry, this is my fiancée, Wendy Darling, he puts a loving hand on the small of my back.

I automatically smile warmly at the old couple and bow my head lightly, presenting them with a small curtsey. Mr. Perry gives a half bow while Mrs. Perry lowers herself somewhat into a curtsey as well.

Lovely to meet you, I say gently.

The pleasure is ours, Mr. Perry has a warm face, weathered, yet friendly, kind of like how Grandfather's had been; that is how I wish father would look, old and friendly, but he's not, he's just old and stern.

Daniel has talked so fondly of you, he sends Daniel, who looks like an embarrassed school boy, a knowing glance. I'm glad to finally meet the woman he doesn't keep quiet about, he laughs with a good nature.

I laugh softly, and my eyes advert to Daniel. Daniel Shaw. My fiancé. Mother and Father adore Daniel, right down to what kind of shoe polish he uses. He's the son of Stephen Shaw, the owner of Bert & Shaw Banking, so naturally Father's smitten with every Shaw he meets.

Don't tell her everything I say, Daniel grins. She might begin to think highly of herself, he jokes.

His black hair is neat and combed, his steel-gray eyes are set behind his round glasses, although he's laughing and joking on the outside his eyes are always serious. Now that I think about it, he looks a little bit like Father.

I laugh again, We wouldn't want that now, would we? I joke with them, for if I seem normal they won't know what I'm thinking.

Never, especially when my Wendy's so humble, he kisses my forehead softly.

No wonder Father and Mother like Daniel so much, he's wealthy, supportive, solid, and predictable... I like that.

After a few moments of joking and laughing with Mr. and Mrs. Perry, Daniel announces he has to introduce them to someone else.

Will you be all right by yourself? he asks, quickly turning to me before he walks off.

I put on a reassuring smile, Of course, darling. I was thinking about stepping outside for a bit of fresh air anyway, I find myself telling him.

You're sure? he asks again, as if the second he walks away I'll be snatched up by some unsuspecting villain.

I laugh, Yes, I'll be fine.All right, I'll only be a moment, and he disappears into the crowd.

I walk around Miss Amelia Walter's monthly dinner party, we've already had dinner so I can mingle for the rest of the evening until Daniel says when to leave.

I avoid almost anyone who looks like they'd like to have a nice little chat with me about the wedding plans and hurry toward the exit.

Soon I find myself in a great big lush garden. With hedges shaped as swans, fountains of little angels spouting water into the air, and beautifully groomed flowers crawling along the walkway.

It's almost May but the night air still has a slight chill to it. I make my way to the fountain and gaze into the waters of the surrounding pond, then look up at the clear, night sky. The stars are scattered along the sky, but at the same time they seem so close together, maybe it's their size, the seem closer tonight.

As I stare up at the pitch sky I see a distant star wink at me.

_Peter Pan._

As the name fills my mind, I almost grow dizzy. It's been years since I've thought about him, not since I was 13 or 14, and now at age 23 the name sends my thoughts whirring. I shiver as I look into the empty garden, what made me think of that name? Was it the swan-shaped hedges, the water plopping into the pound, or was it the winking star?

Whatever it was it sent chills up my spine and thoughts whizzing noisily in my head; I don't know if I like it very much either.

I walk, slightly unsteadily, to a cold metal bench next to a wall-like hedge. I soon find myself barely shaking, had Peter Pan been real? There was no way of knowing, none of us talked about it anymore. Michael had been so young at the time, I'm sure he would have long forgotten, and John is too busy with finishing school and finding a good, strong career to talk about fairy tales with me, Father would never talk about such nonsense either, and Mother, Mother's memory is deteriorating with age. But the Lost Boys... Long after they came to stay with us we never really discussed their origin, surely they hadn't just appeared on our doorstep.

As I sit in the cold evening air, insane thoughts continue playing in my head.

What if I had just thought up Peter Pan, maybe there was a clear and logical explanation for it all but it had just not revealed itself to me.

I look up to see Daniel walking out to where I'm sitting. Wendy are you all right? You look ill?

Quickly, I stand up and put on a bright smile, I'm great, I must look a bit odd in the moonlight, I force myself to smile.

I think you look beautiful in the moonlight, and he kisses me.

For some reason I pull away sooner than usual.

Actually, now that you've mentioned it, I am feeling a little off, would you mind very much if I went home early?Not at all, he looks worried and automatically I feel guilty about lying. If you're not feeling well I'll be happy to take you home- I say almost too quickly. No, I don't want you to leave the party on my account, especially when it's so early into the night, I say hastily. No it's fine I'll go home and have Sophia help me set up a nice warm bath for myself, that's probably all I need.I'll have my driver take you home, he offers.

I say slowly. That'll be fine.

Any way to get home.

As he leads me out of the garden I begin thinking about Peter again. Was he real? Surely one of the boys will know, I'll just have to pay Slightly a little visit tomorrow.

...

Not long after I was finally home and Sophia was asking me for anything and everything. When Daniel and I had been seeing each other for awhile and he found out I was living all by myself in a big house he hired Sophia Price for me. She helps me around the house and checks on my every needs. I don't like it so much though so I told her to relax a bit about it.

So naturally when I walked through the door she asked me if I was hungry, if I needed a drink, if I wanted a pair of slippers, on and on and on. I told her I was fine and I was just tired.

But as soon as I was in my room, and dressed in my nightgown I asked if she could get me some paper and a pen.

I sit down at my desk, all the lamps are turned off except one single candle that is slowly melting next to me. I grip the pen in my hand and so many memories come flooding back to me. There was no way Peter Pan could've been in my imagination alone. After all that had happened, everything we had been through.

_I looked up at Peter but he said nothing._

The Lost Boys, John, and Michael all stared at us quietly.

I didn't know what to say at the time, I wasn't able to form words that seemed right but I tried my best.

I began tentatively. Peter, just because we're leaving doesn't mean we'll never see you again.

He looked up at me, his eyes looked so hollow.

I don't care! he shouted and I flinched, as did the rest of the boys.

I said softly.

Just leave I don't care! and he hurried out of the tree house.

As I sit here, trying to begin writing again, I think about him and all of a sudden I'm filled with thoughts I haven't had for what seemed like an eternity. I was childish, I was imaginative, I was content, I was free.

I stare at the flame, burning at the tip of the wick, the flame leans toward me and I was almost sure a gust of wind had passed through the room but the window was closed.

And now my mind wanders, had Peter come back? just like he promised?

Now I can feel my heart sinking, it wouldn't matter if Peter had come back because he would still just be a boy and I had to admit, I still had a certain place in my heart where I loved Peter.

I set down the pen and get into bed, blowing out the candle. Maybe Peter Pan wasn't real or maybe I had gone mad... Whatever it was I was bound to find out soon.

**Author's Note:** Okay I haven't written a Peter Pan story in a LOOOONG time so please forgive me if it seems a little off... Anywho... Hope you liked it! If you did, review, if you didn't, use your flame idea to roast a chicken. Winks Thanks for reading! Next chapter'll be up soon


	2. Betrayed by a Hero

**Chapter Two  
Betrayed by a Hero  
**

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! They mean soooo much to me! I absolutely LOVED the latest Peter Pan, I think it was more like the book than any other version, except the play that is, Lol. Thanks for reading! Here's chapter two!

The next morning when I woke up I knew immediately that two things would happen: Sophia would stampede me with Would you likes' and Daniel would probably stop by and try to spend the afternoon with me because he's afraid I'll get sicker than I already led him to believe.

I reluctantly pull back the comforter and quickly dress.

I go downstairs and tell Sophia I'm not very hungry and that I need to take care of some wedding business and dash out of the house.

The sun is high in the sky and the city's buzzing with people and loud cars. I thought it would be best to walk to Slightly's house instead of taking a cab, I don't know why.

I hadn't talked to Slightly since I moved out but I knew exactly what he was up to. He had married young and kept his home as an orphanage but if you would ever go to his house you would think that there was a just a big, noisy family living there. That's how I knew which house was his. I could hear people yelling, crying, and laughing from outside.

I cautiously ring the door bell, afraid that the noise will increase at the sound.

If I have to tell you one more time that the vases are not to be thrown around you won't have dinner for a month! I hear a man scream from inside. P-Put that down now! Don't make come over there! 1-2-3- Fine you're in trouble! I hear a loud commotion coming from inside and step back a bit.

The door opens and I'm greeted by a tired-looking young woman, she asks.

Good morning, I begin, I had met Kate only once at the wedding and I suppose it was so brief she doesn't remember me. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you but my name is Wendy Darling, I was wondering if I could have word with Slightl-Oh! Wendy! Is that you? I'm sorry I didn't recognize you! she smiled, as a child tries to run out the door but she grabs him by the collar.

I smile, That's fine, it's nice seeing you again, I tell her.

Wonderful to see you too, I'll get Slightly for you, come on in, she gestures for me to enter which I do cautiously.

Once I'm in the entrance hall I look around, there has to be at least fifty children scattered about.

Would like something to drink? she offers.

No, no thank you, I'm fine, I respond politely.

All right, she takes a deep breath and yells, I hear from above us.

You have a visitor! she shouts back.

He'll right down, she says to me, then as a children walks in, from what seems to be a kitchen, trailing mud behind her, she begins shouting, What did I tell you about playing in the garden! the little girl runs away. Would you excuse me for a moment? she asks and I nod with a smile. GET BACK HERE! she runs after the child.

Soon I hear footsteps and Slightly comes down a flight of stairs, he says breathlessly, recognizing me immediately.

I smile at him, feeling great nostalgia at his site, before I begin bawling I speak, Slightly, it's so good to see you.It's great to see you, he comes down from the stairs. What brings you here?

I begin slowly, I was wondering if we could talk.No, I mean privately, I say hesitantly.

a look of realization comes to his face. 

More than a few minutes later we're walking down a windy pier in silence until we reach the end of it.

he begins awkwardly. What was it you wanted to talk about?

I take a deep breath, I'm hitting forbidden territory here and it's kind of hard to say, but I do anyway.

Peter Pan.

I look at his face and his expression changes from curiosity to a difficult discomfort.

He doesn't say anything.

He was real wasn't he? I ask as the wind picks up speed.

He lets out a heavy sigh.

Is that what you had to ask me? he questions, in a bit of a harsh tone. If that dolt was real? I say sternly, and I feel almost exactly as I did when I was twelve.

What do you want me to say! he shouts and I flinch.

I don't want you to insult him! I yell back, if I was talking to anyone else I'm sure I would be more polite but this is Slightly, this is different.

You want me to talk about him as if he was the hero he thought he was? he says stingingly.

I stay silent.

He was a liar, and a git! he looks away from me and down at the water lapping up against the docks.

I watch him intently.

His shoulders fall, I'm sorry, he sighs. It's just that, I grew up with Peter and the rest of the boys, he pauses, when you told he said he would come back to see us and he when he didn't, that hurt. I had known him most of my life and there he was lying straight to us, I felt abandoned by him, I knew I had all of you, but I just felt betrayed, he breaks off and looks at me.

I don't know what to say.

Wendy, I knew Peter as a hero, my whole life he was an honest and true, real life hero, his eyes advert to the water again. And when he saved us I just thought, Wow he's brilliant, why can't I be like him, he shook his head an laughed. But then when he never came back...

There's silence and it's sickening.

After a few minutes Slightly looks at me again, When he didn't come back I felt like he was fake, and he wasn't worth even thinking about, he lied to me... To us, you should hate him too.

I tense and become defensive, After all he did for you though, you still feel this way? he says flatly.

But how do you know he didn't want to come back? Maybe something happened to hi-Oh don't even talk about things like that! he snaps. He's a prat and he had better things to do then worry about us and you know that!

His words stab at my heart.

He sees my wounded expression and sighs again, This is useless, he says, beginning to walk down the dock again, leaving me standing there, completely hurt.

Once he's a few meters away from me he turns around and says, And to answer your question, we was definitely real, and he walks off.

...

When I arrive home it's nearly dinner time. I walk from the entrance hall into the kitchen, Sophia's nowhere to be seen. I haven't eaten at all today so maybe I'll help her make dinner.

I call throughout the house.

No response.

I knot my eyebrows, that's not like her.

I walk into the parlor and I'm startled to see Daniel sitting in an armchair, smiling.

Hello beautiful, he chimes and comes over to me, kissing me softly.

What're you doing here? I ask happily.

Well I came here this morning to see if you were feeling better than last night, I knew it. Then Sophia told me you had gone out to do some wedding preparations, he almost sounds suspicious but he smiles warmly, I didn't know of any preparations for today, what were you surprising me with? he asks.

I freeze. Damnit, what am I supposed to say?

It wasn't a scheduled appointment, I was going about it alone, but I was going to see a few dressmakers but I ran into an old friend along the way and we chatted for a bit, I say, trying to keep calm.

his face changes into what looks like relief. That sounds nice.M hm, I say, smiling.

Well I'm sure you're hungry, Sophia told me you ran out of here without eating anything, he points out.

Speaking of Sophia, do you know where she is? I look around the room as if she's hiding behind the sofa or something.

I gave her the evening off, I hope that's all right?Yes, that's perfectly all right, I smile reassuringly.

So how about we go out to dinner? he offers.

I smile, What's the occasion?Nothing in particular, our health, perhaps? he laughs.

I smile and give a small laugh, Sounds wonderful to me.And why not invite your family along? he suggests, I know he's not including the Lost Boys.

I laugh nervously, Why not?'

So much for our health, I'm already beginning to feel sick.

**Author's Note:** Kinda short, kinda iffy... Hope you liked it all the same! And again, thanks for those reviews! Next chapter's comin' soon!


	3. Mind Tricks?

**Chapter Three  
Mind Tricks?**

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, I love em sooooo much! Thanks for reading! Here's chapter three!

That's what I always say, Daniel says fervently. Joint stocks shouldn't... I really can't hear what he says after that because I'm already drowning him and my father out.

Soon I notice John getting involved in the banking conversation and I see mother sitting there politely, listening, she can not possibly be enjoying this!

I take a sip of my tea and let the warm liquid run slowly down my throat, I shiver.

Michael grabs a few pieces of bread and lathers some butter on them, how he keeps so thin I will never know; He makes no attempt to join Daniel, Father, and John's conversation.

I look at Mother closely, she's watching them avidly, as if she's interested. She smiles and nods as they go on about loans and other banking business. I know Mother doesn't enjoy banking, she told me herself listening to it was like having a bad toothache. So why is she listening to them so closely?

Our food comes not long after and the conversation lessens but doesn't die, not once.

As the meal goes on, as well as the talk of banking, I examine Mother again. And it all comes crashing down upon me, I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner; Mother's watching so animatedly and listening so closely because she's being a good wife, a polite, quiet wife who never speaks her mind. Oh Mother, poor Mother.

Then another miserable thought ambles into my mind... That's how I'll have to be. A quiet, polite, wife who never speaks her mind. My throat tightens and I can't look at Daniel, I can't look at Mother, I can't look at anyone. My eyes turn to the unfamiliar crowd for comfort. I don't want to be that wife my whole life, but Daniel's got to live a predictable, normal, safe life, so me being anything other than polite and quiet is all that's expected of me.

I feel even sicker.

Would you excuse me, I have to go to the Powder Room, I mutter and stand up quickly, almost running away.

Once I'm in there I notice the two women who are gossiping next to me, I pretend I'm fixing my hair, maybe listening to their twitter will distract me from the problem at hand.

Did you see him, Louise? a short, skinny, red-haired woman asks, powdering her nose.

Did I? Melinda, he has to be the most gorgeous man I have ever laid eyes on! a large, round, black haired woman babbles.

Oh I know! she trills.

I almost have to close my eyes so I don't roll them.

Those amazing green eyes! Melinda chimes, fixing a pin in her red hair.

Green eyes?

I switch from fixing my hair to powdering my face.

Oh I know! And that gorgeous blonde hair!

Blonde hair?

Melinda giggles, And that tropical tan! He must've come here from the Caribbean! Maybe he's some rich sea captain!

Tropical tan?

No. It couldn't be.

Or maybe he's a pirate! Louise adds wistfully.

My eyes widen. This can not be happening.

I finish up with powdering my nose and hurry out of the room.

My mind is just playing tricks on me, it's not him, it's some sailor from the Caribbean, it's not Peter.

I keep telling myself the same thing over again, it's not him, it's not him, it's not him...

Even so, I can't help myself from looking around the room for him, or someone who might look like him.

I notice I'm looking around furiously only when I bump into someone.

Oh, pardon me- I say and look up at the man I bumped into.

He's got dark, steely eyes, a low brow which makes him look angry even though he's smiling, smirking rather.

Please forgive me, Miss, I wasn't looking where I was going, he bows slightly, but not once do his eyes linger from mine.

No that's quite all right, I say slowly. I was looking around for someone.

He nods his head steadily and I give a small curtsey and walk away.

I sit back down at the table and everyone's nearly done eating.

I realize I've lost any appetite I might've had as I begin thinking about what those women had said.

_Green eyes. . . Blonde hair. . . Tropical tan. . .  
_  
The description echoes in my head, as I imagine an older, stronger, more handsome Peter... I breathe deeply, now I'm getting rather flustered.

I snap out of my thoughts and look up, everyone's standing and Daniel's looking at me apprehensively. Wendy, are you finished? We're leaving, he says.

I stand up quickly and follow them towards the door, I turn my head and look into the restaurant one last time for any glimpse of him.

Nothing.

My shoulders fall disappointedly but I straighten them up as quickly as I can. It was just a Caribbean sailor, no one I know, nothing more, nothing less.

I really need to just forget about him and live my life... This is real.

...

He stands there, his back to the crowds, standing in the doorway to the back room of the restaurant.

A bony, wrinkled old hand slips itself around his shoulder.

He gasps and turns his head swiftly.

Don't worry boy it's only me, the owner of the hand smiles evilly and walks out the back door.

They walk through the alleyway in silence until the man speaks again.

You know the girl you were talking about, the one you left before you came to me? he asks.

I think I saw her in the restaurant, he says calmly.

he stops. Let's go back! he begins walking towards the restaurant but the man grabs his arm quickly.

She left. he says disappointedly.

But don't worry, we'll find her, I promised you if you went through with my part of the bargain I would go through with yours. We'll find her soon enough, he says slowly.

How can we? What are you going to do-Relax my boy, you'll be with her. All in good time, he smiles.

**Author's Note:** Yeah a little weird... Lol. Hope you liked it! Thanks for the reviews they rock the sock I don't have on right now!


	4. Reunion

**Chapter Four  
Reunion**

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I love them so much! Sorry it took me so long to update, I had like 747552786486 different things I was writing. Hope you like the chapter!

As I wake up I feel a strange, foreboding feeling. At first I can't pinpoint just why I feel this way, but as I lay in bed in the early hours of the morning it came to me all too suddenly.

But as the thought of Peter Pan hurries into my mind I immediately think about something, anything else to get my mind off the familiar blonde haired boy. I soon find I can't stop thinking about him and I begin to feel trapped in my own skin, as if the four walls surrounding me are about to cave-in on me. I quickly change out of my nightgown, grab a coat from my closet and fly downstairs like lightening. Sophia hasn't even woken up yet, and as I walk outside I realize just how early it is.

The sun has just come up and it's setting a soft golden glow on the city. The ground's damp from a combination of late-night rain and dew, and a chilly October wind is sweeping through my hair. As I walk along the nearly deserted city streets I wonder where I intend on going, but then before I can even realize how it happened I'm standing in front of my old house. The one where I first met Peter.

_There he is again! Popping up in my brain any chance he can get! _

I shake my head in a frustrated way and look up at the old house. As I fully see it my eyes glaze over and my breath becomes lodged in my throat. There are boards on the windows, condemned signs on the doors... Nails and planks on my window, that stained glass window that Peter had flown through.

_STOP THINKING ABOUT PETER!_

I walk closer to the front door and read a sign that says:

_POSTED!  
This lot has been reserved to be demolished.  
on the twentieth of October. Soon to be the new  
home of Bert & Shaw Banking._

I stare at the sign in awe and disbelief.

D-D-Daniel's... Daniel's father's... Daniel and his father's company are tearing down my home for a new banking location!

I walk away from the house before I start bawling. I walk around aimlessly for an hour, before deciding to go to Kensington Gardens._  
_  
I walk along a small pond, lily pads are floating on the surface and the tall grass next to it is swaying in the breeze. I look up and see the winding path and a bench in the distance, occupied by a blonde man who looked as if he were waiting for someone.

I barely notice him though, my thoughts of Peter are finally at ease and I'm looking forward to spending the day with my wonderful fiancé and planning our beautiful wedding together.

But as I walk passed the blonde-haired man I'm stopped by a semi-familiar voice.

I stop suddenly and turn around to face the man in front of me, and immediately my heart jumps into my throat. He has curly, sandy, blonde hair, brilliant, sparkling green eyes, and a slight tan; But the thing that caught me off guard the most is his whole presence, he gives off this vibe that makes me feel at ease, the way he's smiling at me makes me feel like I'm a little girl again.

I quickly shake myself back into reality, I question.

It's me, Peter, he says standing up.

Peter who? I ask, just to be on the safe side.

He frowns and replies, Peter Pan.

Immediately I laugh, I'm sorry, you must be mistaken, and I begin walking away, for all the worries and feelings I had been harboring for the past few days is flooding my mind at once as I look at him, and I feel like I'm about to collapse.

Wendy, please! he shouts, grabbing my wrist.

I spin around and stare at him, he drops my hand and it falls limply to my side, this isn't real, this can't be happening.

It's really me, he almost whispers.

I can't believe him, it's one of the boys playing a trick on me, they've hired this actor to pretend he's the same Peter from all my dreams and nightmares. Clearly they have a sick sense of humor.

It can't be, I shake my head.

It is, he smiles.

Prove it.

His smile falters but he continues, You used to tell stories to your brothers, I brought you to Neverland and we fought Hook, don't you remember? he asks worriedly, I don't answer. We danced, remember? With the fairies? You kissed me, he finishes.

You can't be the same Peter, he would've called it a thimble, I stammer.

I've learned a few things, he smiles sheepishly.

For a few minutes I just observe him. He smells like summer rain, fresh grass, the salty waters of Neverland, and even childhood, all at the same time. I look him in the eye and instantly I can see it all: Adventures, recklessness, innocence, pain, love, all at the same time also. Suddenly it comes to me, there's no question about it, I am standing in front of Peter Pan.

I ask, wondering if I've gone completely mad.

His smile radiates with relief and he nods.

Tears spring to my eyes and before I can stop myself I'm throwing my arms around his neck, Oh Peter I've missed you!

He wraps his arms around me and responds, I know, I've missed you too.

I let go and look at him, You've grown up, I say, a stray tear glides down my cheek but he wipes it away with his thumb.

He laughs.

What made you come back? I ask.

he answers simply.

I smile, But how did you know I would be here?I didn't.

All too suddenly and for no reason at all the thought of Daniel jumps into my mind. I feel suddenly guilty and very much like the scum growing at the bottom of the pond I had passed just moments ago.

Oh, Wendy, he breathes, cupping my face in his hands. I've missed you so much, he draws closer, and for a moment I'm tempted to give in but instead I shake my head fervently and wriggle out of his grasp, walking only a meter away from him.

I begin chewing on my lip as he asks, What's wrong?I can't do this Peter, I reply, beginning to bite on my thumbnail now.

I love you Wendy, he tells me. I thought we-

Before he can finish his sentence I turn sharply and shout, I'm engaged!

His expression contorts, then softens to a frown, I don't-I'm going to be married this summer, the tears are back and they're choking my voice, causing it to falter. I'm sorry, I thought you had forgotten about me.

He shakes his head, I could never forget you, I love you-Please stop saying that, I cut him off again, the feeling of guilt growing rapidly in the pit of my stomach. I can't be with you, I can't love you.But Wendy I'm back! You don't need him anymore, you can cancel the wedding, be with me! he pleads, apparently his immaturity and innocence hasn't wavered.

I can't do that Peter, it wouldn't be fair-It wouldn't be fair! a shadow of anger looms over his face. It's not fair to me! I have loved you for years and now I get the chance to come back you just won't have me!Well I'm sorry Peter but you waited too long! I find myself shouting back. You couldn't have possibly expected me to just drop everything and run away with you once you had arrived!

He stares at me blankly.

It's not like that anymore, we've grown up! I have responsibilities I can't just put off for you-Can I meet him? he asks suddenly.

I question, taken off guard.

Can I meet your husband-to-be?

He's gone completely mad.

And how would I introduce you? The boy who flew me off to Neverland when I was younger?Introduce me as an old friend, he replies.

I look at him, considering this factor.

All right, I don't know when though, he's a very busy man.Fine with me, Peter says contentedly.

We stand there in silence for a few seconds, then: Can we go see the Lost Boys?

**Author's Note:** I'm soooooooo sorry it took me so long to update and this chapter was pretty short! I've had a lot going on recently. I hope the chapter makes up for it though! Next one'll be up sooner! Thanks for reading!


	5. Lost Again

Chapter Five  
Lost Again

Author's Note: Thank you soooooo much for the reviews! I love them to pieces! I'm so sorry it took me so unbelievably long to update but I've been very busy lately! Hope you like this chapter!

I walk down the street briskly, followed by Peter who has to walk fast to catch up.

"I suppose we'll go see Slightly first, or maybe that won't be such a good idea, after what happened the other day. . . ." I mutter under my breath.

I can feel Peter look at me and smile coyly.

Before I can think it over anymore we're standing at Slightly's house, I heave a great sigh, hurry to the front door and ring the bell with a shaky hand.

I hear the same hubbub I had heard just the other day and the door opens, Slightly answers it this time.

"Wendy!" he says, surprised. He looks at Peter. "And- Oh my God."

His eyes are wide and his mouth is agape.

"Slightly?" Peter questions with a smile.

"P-P-Peter Pan!" he stammers, pointing at Peter. "He's back? He's- Old!"

Peter laughs.

"Uh uh, no, you're not really here. It's happened, Kate I've finally gone mad!" he shouts back into the house.

"About time!" the woman shouts back.

Peter laughs again and I speak up, "Slightly, would you mind very much gathering all the Lost Boys and coming to my house for tea, so you all can have a proper explanation as to why he's back?"

"Yeah, no problem," he replies, staring at Peter, transfixed.

I look at both of them and then say, "Thank you, we'll see you then." And I walk off, Peter soon at my heals.

I open the front door of my house and gesture for him to come in. His hands are digging into his pockets and he's looking around with a nonchalant air. He is so very handsome, tall and strong, I can feel myself growing pink.

"Miss Wendy, is that you?" I hear Sophie call and she appears in the entrance hall.

"Good afternoon Sophie."

"Oh Miss Wendy you had me so worried! When I went to go wake you for breakfast you weren't there! I didn't know what to think! I telephoned Mr. Shaw and he said you were probably taking a long walk or going about some wedding plans," she says in a rush, then her eyes fall on Peter.

"Er, yes I was taking a long walk in Kensington Gardens," I nod towards Peter, keeping my hands folded in front of me. "This is Peter -uh- Panahill, he's an old friend from those holidays I used to go on at Shyer Place, with my family. You remember?" the words are tumbling out of my mouth and I'm praying she makes sense of it all.

She eyes him suspiciously, I can tell she's sniffing out any attraction I might have towards him that interferes with the wedding to her beloved employer, Daniel. But soon her face softens and she smiles, "Of course I remember Miss Wendy! I just can't recall a Mr. Panahill, though I should admit I am very forgetful," she giggles.

I laugh and Peter smiles.

"How do you do, sir?" she asks, bowing her head.

"Very well thank you," he replies.

My heart constricts slightly, I love Peter, I know I do, and I'm not going to leave Daniel for him. This is going to be hard, he's acting so different, so proper. I'm not sure if I like it.

"The boys are coming for tea soon, to see Peter, it's been quite a while-"

"Would you like me to prepare the tea, Miss Wendy?" she chirps up.

"No thank you Sophie, I think I can manage," I smile at her. "You've been working so hard lately, why don't you take the rest of the day off, do a little shopping?"

At first it seems that she doesn't wish to leave me alone with Peter, she thinks I'm a dirty little sneak. I smile more brightly.

Finally she smiles and asks, "Are you sure?"

"Of course! Go on, enjoy yourself!"

She bites her lip then smiles, "Thank you so much Miss Wendy! I'll be right back!" and she hurries up the stairs, disappearing from sight.

Peter and I stand there in silence for several antagonizing seconds, then, "Why don't we go sit in the drawing room?" I ask.

He smiles and we walk through a door into a cozy room with an overstuffed couch and armchair. We sit across from each other and I stare at him. Why is this so awkward? Why is it so hard to talk to Peter? After all these years of wanting him to return so he could hold me in his arms, now it's all washed away and I can hardly think of what to say.

Sophie comes in, "I'm off now, thank you again Miss Wendy."

"It's not any trouble Sophie, have fun."

"Thank you Miss Wendy!" she says and leaves.

This silence is deafening and I can't bare it much longer, what can I do? What can I say? So the first question that springs to mind I blurt out, trying to keep my etiquette intact for as long as I can.

"Why didn't you come back?"

He smiles in an embarrassed way and says, "I didn't have much choice Wendy."

"Why not?" I demand.

He frowns, "It's a long story."

"Where have you been all these years? Why did you grow up, how?"

"I was in Neverland for a short time, then after I realized how much I missed you I came back to London."

I stare at him disbelievingly, "When?'

"A week after you left."

My mouth falls open, "Why didn't you come to me? Where did you stay?" I question.

He sighs, "Well I lived on the streets around Whitechapel and the River Thames."

"What?" I whisper.

A shadow falls over his eyes and he nods, "I hate to admit it but I had to nick some food here and there but I managed."

I stare at him in awe, his words are making me feel sick and dizzy, Peter lived on the streets, "How long?" I ask.

He looks as if he doesn't want to tell me, "A year and a half."

"Peter," I breathe feeling completely awful.

He waves it off, "Yes there were times during the winter where I slept in doorways but I felt better than being in Neverland alone."

"You preferred to be out in the cold alone - Peter-"

"Oh it wasn't that cold."

"What about the winter time? What did you do then?" I ask.

He gives me a lopsided smile, "It was okay, on Christmas Eve I could smell all the holiday food."

The last remark tugs on my heart strings, and I stand up, hurry across the room, kneel in front of him, and take his hand.

"Peter," I whisper. "Why didn't you stay with me? We all missed you so."

He shook his head, "I felt ashamed and after the year and a half a man named Christoph Hudson took me in and raised me."

"Why couldn't you see us then?"

"It's complicated," he replies.

"But-"

The doorbell rings and my eyes linger on his for a second, then I let go of his hand and stand up, dusting off the lap of my skirt and saying, "Excuse me for a minute."

All the Lost Boys are here, as if they planned to come at the same time, I believe they did. They come in and Peter tells us a vague story of his past, one that I'm not quite sure if I believe but I'm not sure if I care either. All I know is Peter's back and words couldn't describe how I feel.

**Author's Note:** Again, I'm so sorry it took so long to update, hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	6. Broken by Clocks

Chapter Six  
Broken By Clocks

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews! I love them so much! Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it! Please review.

I wake up, opening my eyes slowly. The sun is spilling through the window because I failed to close the curtains the night before. I can hear Sophia in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. There's a feeling of change that's settling in the pit of my stomach and I can't get around it, I can't figure it out.

Then it hits me like a ton of bricks, I realize Peter's back. I don't wish to get out of bed, I feel so muddled and confused. I still love Peter, of course I do, but I have Daniel. Daniel's sturdy and organized, Peter's just random and spontaneous... There's no contest whatsoever.

I finally decide to get out of bed before Sophia can call Daniel, telling him that I've taken ill or some rubbish like that. I get dressed quickly and go downstairs. Just as predicted, Sophia is setting a plate on the table for me, filled with warm delights. But I'm simply not hungry.

"There you are Miss Wendy!" she says, looking up from arranging the tea pot. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd be down, your breakfast is on the table."

"Thank you Sophia but I think I'll just have tea this morning," I reply.

She looks up, startled, "Are you feeling well? Shall I call Mr. Shaw and ask for the doctor-"

"No, no, really I'm fine, just not very hungry this morning. How did shopping go yesterday?" I ask in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

Her face brightens, "Wonderful! I bought the most amazing hat with a few peacock feathers on it!" she sighs. "It's simply divine."

I laugh, "That's good."

She sets a cup of tea in front of me, "Oh and Mr. Shaw is coming over now, he called just before you came downstairs."

My eyes widen, "He's coming now?"

"Yes Miss Wendy."

I feel a lurch of disappointment.

I mean, of course I want to see Daniel, he's my fiancﾎ, it's just I was kind of looking forward to catching up with Peter again. But that's obviously not as important as spending time with my future husband!

"Oh that's-that's wonderful, I'll just-"

The front doorbell rings.

"That will be Mr. Shaw," she announces. "I'll go fetch him."

I gulp down the tea and wince at the burning of my throat.

The front door closes and a slightly shaken and angered Sophia comes into the room, "A Mister Peter Panahill for you miss."

I choke on my own saliva as she announces this. I nod, "Thank you Sophia," she curtsies briefly before leaving the room.

I go into the hall where Peter's standing. He's wearing a suit out of a department store catalogue, he looks like the perfect English gentlemen standing there, aside from his ruffled blonde hair that falls into his eyes. He's still Peter.

"I know I should have left my card or some other warning before dropping by like this. Am I right?" he asks.

"No, I mean, y-yes, it's fine, really," I think of Daniel coming through the door right now and am almost sick. There's no chaperone in the room, save for Sophia in the kitchen, what would he think of me? "But you see, Daniel's coming and-"

"Daniel?"

I swallow, "My fiancﾎ."

"Oh," his face falls but he shrugs, "I knew that."

"Would you like to meet him?" I'm skating on thin ice as I ask this, I know.

He regards me for a minute, "I suppose. How would you get around that one Miss Darling?" he inquires.

I think for a moment, "Go outside and wait a few moments from when he comes in, then I'll explain to him that an old friend from Shyer Place told me he would be visiting and then you'll come in."

"Crafty."

"Very much so," I push him towards the door. "Now go outside and wait!"

One he's gone through the door I close it and peek through the window there, he's crouched behind the large shrubbery beside the stairs. Mrs. Watson walks passed with her husband and neither of them see him. I watch him for a few seconds, hiding in the dirt behind the shrubs and almost want to cry. He's the same old Peter and I've missed him so much.

"Miss Wendy would like me to bring the tea for you and Mis-" she stops short. "Where did he go miss?"

I move from the window and swallow, "Oh um, Mr. Panahill just went out to-to speak with his driver, I believe he'll be in shortly after Mr. Shaw."

She nods, "Very well miss."

"I'd like for you to serve tea in the drawing room, if that's all right."

"Of course Miss Wendy," she curtsies.

I head for the stairs, "I'll be in my room until Mr. Shaw arrives."

I don't wait for her answer, only bound up the stairs in a very unladylike fashion.

Once inside the privacy of my room I began pacing frantically. I love Daniel, but I love Peter. I'm engaged to Daniel! But I'm captivated by Peter, which is wrong, very, very wrong!

I hear the door bell ring downstairs and Sophia answers it, my heart is leaping against my ribcage and I'm breathing quick. I ring my hands and bite my nail. This is ridiculous.

I open the door and make my way gracefully downstairs, I see Sophia talking with Daniel in the entrance hall and I feel a tinge of guilt. Daniel has been nothing but perfect to me, he's supported me, loved me, he's never done anything wrong, ever. How can I be so selfish? How can I even sneak around and simply _speak_ to Peter when Daniel is so completely naive.

I feel sick.

"Wendy!" Daniel smiles as he sees me and Sophia disappears from the room.

I swallow as I come to stand in front of him, "Daniel," I pause. "I wish I had known you were going to visit, an old friend said he was coming to call."

"He?" Daniel reiterates.

"Oh yes, an old friend from Shyer Place, Peter Panahill," my smile doesn't falter.

He regards me for a moment, "Peter Panahill?"

I give a nervous laugh, "Yes," I think for a minute. "But I'm so very pleased you did come, he'll be so excited to meet you!"

The doorbell rings again and Sophia's back in the room before I can even say anything. She rushes passed us and opens the door, Peter comes in and I feel my heart tearing in two. There's Peter and then there's Daniel. Oh what am I to do?

"Here he is!" I say cheerfully. "Mr. Peter Panahill, my fiancﾎ, Daniel Shaw. Daniel this is Peter Panahill."

They shake hands and Peter gives him a cold stare as Daniel says 'how do you do'.

"Tea in the drawing room miss?" Sophia squeaks.

"Yes thank you," I say and lead them into the drawing room.

This will be awkward.

I sit on the small sofa with Daniel and Peter sitting across from us on the other sofa.

"Where do you reside Mr. Panahill?" Daniel asks.

I'm sitting so stiff I think my back might snap.

Peter doesn't falter, "Here in London."

Daniel nods, "And what is your trade?" he fires.

"I work as an assistant to an accomplished business owner," he replies.

Daniel nods slowly again and we fall into an irritating silence that is only broken by the clock on the wall. I look from Peter to Daniel, they stare at each other as if ready to duel.

"You know, I think I'll leave the happy couple alone," Peter smiles. "It was nice meeting you," he stands up. "Good day." And he leaves the house before I can even respond.

Sophia comes back into the room and looks completely gobsmacked, "Where'd he go?"

"It seems Mr. Panahill came to his senses and left," this stings. "You may have the rest of the day off," Daniel announces.

"But sir Miss Wendy gave me the day off yesterday-"

Daniel's quick to reply, "That's fine, I'm taking Wendy to the opera tonight."

"The opera?" I echo.

I don't want to go to the opera.

"Yes, the opera," he smiles at me.

"But I've nothing to wear," I say.

He grins at me, "Yes you do, just wear the lovely green dress and you'll look perfect!"

"But- I-"

"It's settled," he says cheerily. "We'll go out for the night."  
**  
Author's Note:** Hope you liked it, please review! Next chapter coming soon!


	7. And the Curtain Falls

Chapter Seven  
And the Curtain Falls

Author's Note: Thank you for those reviews, they're awesome! Here's chapter seven, hope you like it!

Daniel and I make our way into the Royal Opera House later that night. Thankfully Sophia stayed to help me get prepared before she took the rest of the day off. She had pulled the laces on my corset so tight I could feel my lungs constrict. She only loosened it a little bit so now I'm forced to stand and sit a straight as a post and take quick, hollow breaths. I'm wearing a rather old green dress that Mother had given me just for the opera, along with white, silk gloves. Sophia also helped me sweep my hair into a graceful knot in the back of my head, adorned with small sprouts of baby's breath that she conveniently picked from a display in my room.

We receive our programs and join the throng of people.

"Wendy! Oh, Wendy Darling!" I hear a shrill voice call my name.

I turn and see Cecily Hampshire gliding toward me with her husband of four months, Charles.

"Cecily," I say, trying to keep the contempt from my voice. "How nice it is to see you."

"Oh Wendy I haven't seen you in ages!" she clasps my hands in hers and kisses me on the cheek.

"Yes, it's been quite a long time. How are you doing?"

"Oh splendid! Charles is the perfect husband!"

I look at Charles, he's speaking with Daniel but watching the backside of Emily Pitch at the same time.

I smile at Cecily, "That's wonderful."

The lights flicker above us and I'm both grateful and disappointed, I really don't want to talk with Cecily anymore, nor do I want to sit through this opera.

"Oh, I best be going, lovely to see you," Cecily says, kissing my cheek and walking away.

Daniel and I reunite and he guides me to our seats. We sit in a private box that is rather high up. I pretend to be enjoying the show, it's very hard.

It's seems as if days have passed when the opera finally ends. I'm extremely tired as the coachmen helps me into the carriage, Daniel sits beside me and the carriage begins to jostle along. I'm irritable and angry, how can Daniel just announce we're going to the opera? I never said I wanted to go! I don't speak to him as we travel down the street.

"Well, that was a good show, don't you think?" he asks.

I look outside and watch the houses drift by me, "I thought it was rather dismal, the opera is sort of boring to be honest." I look back at Daniel.

He looks kind of annoyed but this expression fades into a smile, "I wish you had told me, I wouldn't have forced you to sit through that show."

I narrow my eyes, "I did _try_ to tell you."

He looks confused, "No you didn't."

"Yes I did Daniel," I say coldly.

The carriage pulls up in front of my house and I get out before anyone can open the door for me. I hurry up to my front door and unlock it, Daniel tells the driver that he's going to bid me goodnight and he'll be back. I'm already inside the entrance hall, taking off my shawl and throwing it at the side table along with my gloves.

"Wendy, I didn't know. I thought you'd like the opera, it was a chance for you to socialize with your old friends! You hardly ever accept calls or call on other people, I was just-"

"That's just it!" I cut across him. "You're always worrying about me and making sure I do everything right and carefully! Daniel, I don't want to be friends with my old friends, they're wicked girls and there's a reason I don't speak to them! I don't need you arranging my socialization for me!"

Daniel looks angry, have I hurt his pride?

"Good night Wendy," he says, marching out of the house and slamming the door behind him.

I shake my head, lock the door and go upstairs. Sophia won't be here until tomorrow and my bedroom is dark, I don't even bother to light a candle. I pull the flowers out of my knot of hair and shake it loose so it falls around my shoulders and back. I undress behind the screen from force of habit and put on a silk nightgown. When I climb into bed I find someone laying beside me.

A scream erupts from my throat.

"Ack!" the person says.

I jump out of bed and move across the room, "Who are you!"

"It's me, it's Peter!"

"Peter!" I hiss, walking closer to him, seeing his face in the milky moonlight. "What are you doing here?"

"When that woman left I climbed up the side of the house and waited for you, I got a little tired so I just laid down."

Yes, this is the real Peter Pan.

"I'm sorry I just came in here but I've missed you and I haven't had much time to talk to you," he says with remorse.

This is true, I've been very rude to him. I down beside him on my bed and look into his bright, emerald eyes. He's wearing brown pants and a white buttoned shirt under a tan vest. He took off his shoes and his jacket and placed them by an armchair.

"Can we talk now?" he asks hopefully.

Oh God what would Daniel think? What would _anyone_ think if they knew a man was in my room, a man I wasn't betrothed to. Oh sod it! This is Peter! My Peter.

"Yes, let's talk now."

"I heard you fighting with him downstairs," he starts in immediately. "Are you still getting married?"

I laugh, "Yes we're still getting married."

"Oh," he's disappointed. "I was hoping... Never mind. How are John and Michael?"

Unfortunately they didn't come to our little reunion with the Lost Boys and John is positively convinced that Peter Pan wasn't real. Michael doesn't know yet, unless one of the Lost Boys told him.

"They're fine."

There's an awkward silence that passes between us, making me sick. Before I can say anything to break it, Peter throws his arms around me.

"I missed you so much," he says.

"I missed you too-"

"I want you for myself, Wendy," he looks at me. "It may sound selfish but I don't want to share you with that-"

"I'm not being shared," I say. "I'm going to be his wife and I'm going to be your friend, that's all there can be between us Peter," I'm almost biting back my words, after the realization that Daniel controls most of my life I don't know if I want to marry him so much.

Peter stares at me pleadingly, "But I want there to be more."

There's a short silence again, then Peter slowly leans in and kisses me. I don't break the kiss, I just melt into the warm nostalgia of it. I feel free, I feel like I'm not restricted by society and every link that holds me to it. I feel like I'm running in the fields of Neverland, plunging into the crystal lagoons and dancing among the fairies with Peter's arms around me. My head is light and giddy with happiness, I feel like I'm flying.

I want so desperately to continue kissing him but I break away.

"No, Peter, I'm engaged-" he kisses me again, ignoring my hollow protest.

I push him away, knowing that this is wrong.

"Peter," I say, very out of breath. "We can talk all you like but we can't do this," I shake my head. "Not anymore."

The look on Peter's face can't be described as just disappointed or just angry because it was a mixture of both. I know he's angry that I'm getting married to Daniel and disappointed about it as well, I can't disagree with him though. The silence between us is almost too much to bear.

"Can you still fly? Where's Tinkerbell?" I question.

He shakes his head, "I don't want to talk."

I don't know how to respond, "But you-"

"Can we just lay here? We don't have to do anything I just want to be with you."

I think for a minute. I rather not be by myself tonight and Sophia will be gone until tomorrow, she won't see Peter here to even tell Daniel.

I nod and we lay down next to each other. He smells like dried leaves and the streets after a cool summer rain. He's holding my hand in his and I don't protest. He traces figure-eights onto the back of my hand with his thumb and it tickles.

"I really do love you Wendy," he whispers.

My name breathes on his lips, causing tears to spring into my eyes. He's so handsome, so eager to love me... So _in love_ with me. He's back, after all these years with not so much as a shadow from him, he's here, laying beside me, ready to run away with me the second I say when. But I can't, I hate to say it but I can't. I have responsibilities, I have commitments and I hate it. My chest is tight with agony. I want to run away with Peter. I want to leave Daniel and the whole of England if only I can feel free and innocent like I once did. I want to be with Peter but I can't.

"I know Peter," I whisper back, tears choking my voice. "I'm sorry."

He doesn't say anything back and in minutes the world melts into oblivion and sleep takes over. Wisps of a dream float inside my mind, confusing me and delighting me to no end.

Fairies dance and skip about in the air, twirling and floating with a bright, golden glow around them. They giggle and join hands, forming a ring around two people who are dancing slowly in midair. I see the mermaids shooting through black water and looking above the surface only to hiss at me and attempt to grab my skirt and pull me under the frigid water. I see the Lost Boys as young children, running around the forests of Neverland, playing a game of hide and seek.

I see the faces of the dancing couple, it's Peter and me, we're dancing on air as adults now. The fairies are acting as golden lights around us, illuminating the dark forest as much as they can.

I'm sitting in the Indian village around a blazing fire. Music is playing around me and I feel content and happy with the heat of the flames radiating against my face. I see my brothers, sitting beside me, grown up, in Neverland. I look across the fire and see Peter. The orange glow of the fire is lighting up his face and he's smiling at me, his golden hair flopping into his eyes.

The scene turns to the Jolly Roger. I'm tied and gagged, Captain Hook's back is turned to me and he's taunting Peter who's at the very edge of the plank. He's laughing as Peter frantically tries to get out of this fatal hold.

Suddenly, Captain Hook pushes Peter with the end of his sword and he falls into the water. I try to scream but the cloth in my mouth is preventing me. Hook is laughing hysterically, he turns around I see his face. It's not Hook, it's Daniel.

I bolt upright in bed, breathing heavily and screaming softly. The sun is up and the London traffic is busy, Peter wakes up with my swift movement and incessant carrying on.

"What's wrong? What is it?" he asks frantically.

"N-Nothing, I'm fine. I just had a bad dream," I take a deep breath. "What time is it?"

Peter checks the clock on the wall, "Nearly ten o'clock."

I gasp, "You need to go."

I push him off the bed and he stands as I do. I grab the robe off my wardrobe and put it on, buttoning the buttons as Peter puts on his shoes. I don't hear anything else in the house so I assume Sophia hasn't come back yet.

I sigh, "Sophia isn't here yet so just sneak downstairs," I open the door and he walks out.

"I suppose it isn't proper for a lady to be seen outside her bedroom wearing her robe!" he jokes.

"It also isn't appropriate for a gentlemen to be in a lady's room without a dignified reason, now go!" and I push him out of the room, laughing as I do.

I hear him hurry down the stairs and I'm about to get dressed but I hear a high-pitched scream that belongs to woman, reverberate from the entrance hall.

Oh no.

Sophia.

I hurry downstairs and see Peter stuck between the door and the stairs and Sophia pointing at him accusingly.

"Y-You-You scoundrel!" she screams. "You spent the night didn't you? You-You scoundrel, you!"

She sees me standing at the bottom of the stairs, guilt etched onto every angle of my face.

"And you! I knew you were keeping company with other men behind Mr. Shaw's back!" she looks like she's about to explode. "Wait until I tell him! He's coming over right now!"

Oh God, no!

"Sophia, no, you don't understand," I say desperately, walking over to her, reaching for her arm.

"Don't you touch me!" she shouts, running into the kitchen to hide until Daniel gets here.

Peter looks at me helplessly, "I'm so sorry Wendy I didn't-"

"It's not your fault," I say softly. "You better go before he gets here."

He nods, grasping my hand and giving it a squeeze. He sends me a look as if to say, 'Be careful, don't let the idiot step all over you.' I smile and he leaves.

I'm frantic and nervous as I dress. I hear Daniel come in and I hear Sophia talking to him quickly and she's brazen about it. I feel shaky and hollow as I walk downstairs to see Daniel listening to Sophia as she finishes the story. He turns to stare at me and he looks so disappointed in me. I feel like scum.

"Sophia would you please excuse us for a minute?" he asks icily, not breaking eye contact with me once.

"Of course sir," she says, disappearing into the kitchen.

He's silent for an antagonizing minute, then he sighs, "Wendy I know we had a row last night but I never thought you would do something like this behind by back-"

"Daniel, there was nothing-"

"He did spend the night did he not?" he says and it cuts my heart like a knife.

I don't reply.

"Wendy, how could you do this to me?" he's near tears, I feel horrible. "I love you, I've always loved you."

I try to speak but he continues.

"I've never been wrong to you! How could you do this?"

I'm crying now, "I'm sorry Daniel, there was nothing between us. He just stayed here, we're such good friends, you don't understand!"

"It's not right," he shakes his head. "You're the one who doesn't understand!"

"Daniel-"

He cuts me off, "Wendy, this is- this is just unforgivable!"

"Please Daniel, I didn't mean to hurt you, he just slept here, I promise you."

Daniel looks so completely distraught.

"I can't talk to you right now," he shakes his head, moving toward the door.

"Daniel! We are still getting married, right? You still love me, don't you?" I sound so pitiful.

He swallows, "I'll talk to you later, good bye."

And he leaves. Sophia sticks her head out of the kitchen to see what's happened.

"Is the engagement still on?" she asks.

I turn slowly and look at her, "Get out."

"Wha-"

"Leave, now."

She knows how angry I am and she finally leaves, and now I collapse in the entrance hall, crying endlessly, because I probably ruined everything.

**Author's Note:** Oh scandalous! Haha, there's chapter seven, hope you liked it. The drama is about to unfold, a character is going to die (I'm probably getting your hopes up by saying that so, sorry.) Haha. I'm not gonna lie though, the honey mustard is gonna hit the fan in the next two chapters! Thanks for reading! Please review!


	8. And the Intermission Ends

Chapter Eight  
And the Intermission Ends

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews! You know I love them!

What I did was wrong.

I'm not going to lie to myself anymore. What I did was inconsiderate, selfish, horrible, and unforgivable. I should never have allowed Peter to spend the night, even if I refused his kiss and we only slept there. I should have told him to leave the second I found out he was in my room.

I've had an hour or so to mull over my guilty thoughts. I don't deserve Daniel. I don't deserve anything, I'm beneath the moss growing in the forests of Neverland. I was selfish for even disregarding Daniel's thoughtful incentive to take me to the opera when I should have been grateful. How could I have even thought that I loved Peter over Daniel? Peter isn't the wonderful man that Daniel is! Peter's just an immature boy stuck in a man's body, he's not ready for real life, he's still trapped in a Neverland state of mind.

I can't stand to sit with myself anymore, alone in my empty house so I go outside. I walk along the streets of London, hoping the busy traffic will soothe my restless mind.

It doesn't.

I walk through a desolate park with overgrown lawns and wicked, gnarled flowers and weeds. I'm alone in this park, there aren't even any squirrels or birds to keep me company. The silence is deafening and it sounds like a thunderous shouting in my ear. It's not until I'm in the center of the park that I see it. An old, rickety, abadoned bridge. It arches over a muddy, bubbling brook, which provides the only sound in the center of the park. I walk onto the ancient bridge and sit down in the center of it, my legs dangling over the edge.

I wonder what Daniel's doing.

He doesn't have work today so he could be doing anything. Is he home? Pacing in his study? Questioning my loyalty and love towards him? Is he planning on how to break off the engagement or is he trying to figure out how he can get even with me? I deserve every bit of it, don't I?

The sky has changed from a crisp blue to a gray that hangs like the color of a marble. The water below me trickles over rocks and past overgrown water reeds, it sounds like a waterfall slowly dying or great big tears sloshing into a puddle of forgotten bath water, both scenarios completely depressing in their own way.

The wind picks up speed and wrestles the already loose bun my hair is in. The air smells of wild roses, reminding me of a Neverland I had forgotten about only a few days ago. The wind is cold and I shiver, hugging myself as well.

I feel so hopeless as I sit on this decaying bridge, like my life is falling into a black hole that won't let me get away, everything's spinning out of control and out of my grasping hands. I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go.

I stare at the water and I feel my eyes relax on it, the clouds rumble, threatening rain.

"You're just getting in?" the old man asks.

He's facing the fire that crackles and spits in it's place and his back is to the door. The younger man had been hoping to sneak up to his room and change clothes and wash up before he had to face the man. Instead he walks into the study, his head bowed like a child being scolding.

"I'm sorry Christoph I-"

"You were with the girl?"

"Yes b-"

Christoph stands up and turns to face the younger gentlemen, a sly smile is on his face.

"How did you make out, Peter?"

Peter's shoulder fall and he looks disgusted but he masks it well, "It wasn't like that, nothing happened."

"What a shame."

"Her housekeeper had found out I stayed there for the night," he said softly, afraid to tell the man in front of him anymore. "She was angry and she said she was going to tell Wendy's fiance."

Christoph's eyes lit up.

"Yes! This is perfect, exactly as I foresaw it!" the man seemed to be caught up in his own reverie that he didn't realize Peter was upset until he began to speak.

"Christoph- sir, I think Daniel's going to break off the engagement when he finds out what happened."

"That's the point! That's exactly how it should be!" Christoph was ecstatic.

"B-But-"

"But what!" he spits. "This is how we had planned it, this was the arrangement!"

"I know," Peter begins, sounding regretful. "But this will hurt her so much-"

Christoph's happiness melts into anger, "Don't you dare turn this around now! This has been ordained since I found you!"

Peter feels like sinking into the shadows.

"You selfish fool! I brought you into this house, out of the cold and into a shelter that could provide food, clothing, and _soap_ for you! I listened to your cracked-up stories of Neverland and your lover and had to stand listening to you cry and whine about how much you missed her and needed her!"

He shouts all of this and Peter tries to inch farther away from him but he knows he can't leave the room.

"I dealt with you, we planned all of this out so you could have your precious Wendy and I could fufill my premonition. And now, you have the cheek to tell me she'll get _hurt_!"

Peter regrets his words.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"You disgust me! Get out of my sight!" he roars and Peter leaves as quickly as he can.

Now he's left to deal with the biting guilt on his own.

Hours have passed for the sun is almost completely gone.

I'm still sitting on the bridge, staring at the water, contemplating everything and anything. The wind is so strong now that my hair is completely out of its hold and flying wildly around my face. Goosebumps are covering every ince of my arms, legs, scalp and my teeth are visibly chattering against each other. The clouds crack and a flit of lightening follows. The rain doesn't begin to fall lightly it just passes to a thick, heavy downpour and I'm drenched within seconds.

As much as I deserve to drown in droplets of rain I get up and run out of the park. Once I'm running along the busy streets I pretend as if I'm making an effort to stay dry. I ignore the offer of an umbrella, pretending that I didn't hear or that I'm in too much of a hurry to wait with someone. I avoid carriages that could easily take me to my home within seconds and simply slosh through the cold puddles.

By the time I reach the steps leading up to my front door I couldn't be more soaked in rainwater. My hair is no longer softly curled, it's long and wet, clinging to my neck and face. My clothes are dark with water and the hem is muddy. Rain drops cling to my eyelashes and nose and I shake fervently from the cold.

I make my way into the entrance hall and am relieved to see that Sophia was wise enough to steer clear of the house for awhile. Honestly, I don't care where she is or if she's gone for good, if she ever comes back here, she'll be turned away in a second.

"Wendy?" the voice cuts through the silence like an ax.

I swivel around to see Peter standing in the hall, having come in through the drawing room.

"Are you all right?" he asks.

All my worry turns to anger, "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"I-"

"Is it still a habit of yours to break into peoples' homes?" I demand.

"Wendy, I-"

"You shouldn't even been here, you've caused enough trouble as it is."

His face falls, "I wanted to see if you were all right... I wondered what Daniel had-"

"He's probably going to break off the engagement!" I shout. "Are you happy now! You've got what you wanted Peter, your selfishness lost me my future husband!"

He shakes his head, at an inability to form words.

Before either of us can say anything else the front door bursts open. John plunges into the room, his hair dripping and his glasses flecked with water. He's out of breath and he looks terribly shaken.

"W-Wendy!" he rasps, putting a hand to his chest, hoping to catch his breath.

"John, what's wrong?" I question, my eyebrows knotted.

He shakes his head, "It's Father, he's- he's..."

He doesn't need to say another word, in a flash I'm out the door with John at my heels and Peter soon following. Something's gone terribly wrong.

**Author's Note:** I'm abusing the cliffhanger privelege, aren't I? Um... I have poetic license? Haha. Hope you liked the chapter! Much more drama in the next one, can't wait!


	9. Scatter Your Roses Along the Stage

Chapter Nine  
Scatter Your Roses Along the Stage

Author's Note: Thank you for all those reviews! They make my day! Here's chapter nine! Hope you like it!  
**  
**My heart is pounding in my ears, my breathing is ragged and strained, pains are racing up and down my legs and my lungs burn with a fury I've never felt before. John and Peter are far behind me, trying to keep up as best they can. I can feel the tears begging to escape but I won't let them, not until I know what's wrong with father.

Finally, when I feel as if I might collapse, I reach mother and father's house. I burst through the front door, not bothering to close it, and run down the hall to their room. Mother is outside the room, crying into a handkerchief as Michael stairs into space, his eyes glazed and unseeing.

"Mother?" the word breathes on my lips as she looks up.

She hurries to me and engulfs me in a hug.

I can't cry. I _will not_ cry.

"Mother, what happened?" I whisper.

She shakes her head, swallowing, "It was so sudden... We couldn't do anything," she looks at me. "He's gone, Wendy," she says almost inaudibly.

The words shatter against my ears and I feel myself having trouble breathing. I shake my head as I hear Peter and John come in and bound up the stairs.

"No, he's not!" I go into their bedroom and shut the door.

Father is lying in the bed, his face serene and his eyes closed. I know he didn't go under the covers and lay his hands by his sides when he started getting chest pains, someone fixed it that way so he would look calmer, happier, ready for when they take him away.

I kneel beside the bed and take his hand, it's limp and growing cold.

No, he can't be dead. No, my father's so strong, so confident and ready for anything, something like this couldn't have done him in. The same man who refused the idea of Peter Pan and then adopted all of his Lost Boys.

"He's back father," I whisper, tears pooling in my eyes. "Peter Pan."

He doesn't respond.

I let out a wavering breath, "He came back and he's grown now, he wants me to run away with him and leave Daniel..." I pause. "I think Daniel's breaking off the engagement father, I'm sorry to disappoint you... It was a mistake," my voice cracks horribly.

He doesn't look angry, he doesn't look happy, he's calm and quiet.

I take a deep breath, "I've never done anything to make you proud have I?" I swallow. "I'm sorry, I really am. I know everything you did for us took a lot from you and I never got to thank you... I thought I would have time to do that later."

I wish he would respond.

"Now I can see why Peter loves Neverland, you don't have to suffer this pain there," I sniff. "You would have loved Neverland, it was warm and free there, I just wish you could see it now."

I hear people talking loudly downstairs, that's the doctor.

"I have to go now," I whisper. "I love you...a-and I'm sorry."

I leave the room and let the people go through to examine him. I'm shaking all over and I notice my family's gone downstairs, only Peter's left in the hall. I stumble to my old bedroom and wrench open the door.

Peter follows me and closes the door behind him, I feel my legs growing weak as I walk to the center of the room and I collapse on the floor. Peter is quick and grabs hold of my waist, falling into a sitting position with me.

I sob harder than I ever have. Tears are soaking his shirt as he rubs my back soothingly.

"It's okay," he whispers. "Everything will be fine."

I'm almost too tired to cry but I do all the same. The sobs are so harsh and brazen that my throat hurts and my voice is hoarse. My head aches and I need to take a deep breath but I can't because the tears won't quit.

"Shhhh, it's all right. I'm here for you," he kisses the top of my head and strokes my hair.

This is all his fault. Everything is Peter's fault. My engagement is in shambles because of him, my father's dead, everything's going wrong because he came back. Everything was perfect. I was moving on from this stupid fantasy of never growing up. The stupid idea that life could be simple was fading from my mind and I had Daniel. I had a fiance and I had a father, now I have neither, I have a broken family and a boy who's trapped in a man's body who came back to me because he's selfish, not because he truly loves me.

The tears are hot and make my face itch, I stop crying with all my strength.

"I'm sorry Wendy," he whispers.

My anger is growing rapidly as the seconds tick away and I can't keep quiet anymore. I stand up and march to the door, trying to get away before I say something I'll regret.

"Wendy, wait..."

I stop, my hand on the doorknob, and turn around.

"I just wanted to say-"

"I don't want to hear you say anything," I say hoarsely.

"But-"

"No!" I cry out. "Look what you've done to my life! Are you happy? Is this what you came back to do!"

As my words hit him I feel as if he might start crying, "Wendy," he says firmly. "I never meant-"

I shake my head, "Just please, leave me alone- Go back to Neverland..."

And with that last statement, I leave the room and the boy I loved then and even now, doesn't follow me.  
**  
Author's Note:** Hope you liked the chapter! Next one's coming soon!


	10. Vanishing Act

**Chapter Ten  
Vanishing Act**

So I run.

I run and I run until I know I have to be in Neverland.

But I'm not, I'm still in London; dangerously close to Daniel's house I might add. The rain has stopped, but the streets are spackled with puddles and the atmosphere is damp and cold. I shiver as I find myself slumping down on a bench just across the busy road from Daniel's home.

I need someone. Anyone who cares, anyone who will listen to me cry and blubber. I feel alone, so incredibly alone. More alone than I have ever felt in my entire life. A slick, hopeless feeling creeps up my spine, clenching my skin and making my chest tight with anxiety. It's hard to breathe and I feel as if I might be sick. I'm having difficulty deciding what I should cry about, father dying, my broken engagement, or the fact that the only person I ever really loved and ever will truly love is not with me.

The traffic is loud as it wears on into the late hours of the night. I can see the bright face of Big Ben over the tops of houses and trees and see that it's nearly one o'clock in the morning. The lights in Daniel's house are off. He's probably asleep. But I desperately want to go up his front door and bang out it until he lets me inside. It almost hurts, how much I want to see him, cry into his shirt, and beg him for forgiveness. He'll have to take me back, he'll have to forgive me, he'll make everything better, then my life will be perfect again.

I make a move to get up but I'm stopped by the couple stumbling to the front door of his house. It's Daniel. Daniel and another woman. They're laughing and giggling, slurring their words and walking oddly as if they've had too much champagne to handle. They're walking close, leaning against each other as Daniel fumbles with his keys.

The woman whispers something to him and he laughs, shaking his head and saying something in return. I can grasp a few words, 'No longer betrothed.'

The words work their way into my brain and wriggle around, haunting me and making me feel sick. The next thing stops me completely. They're smothering each other with kisses, as if their lives depend on it, as if they're not close enough, they disappear into the house and I squeeze my eyes shut tight, sucking in deep breaths.

The traffic in the street is causing my brain to spin and I cover my ears, singing an aimless tune to myself as I amble down the street, with no particular destination in mind.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I walk around London restlessly, until the first dregs of morning reveal themselves. Then I go home.

Once I'm home I try to sleep, all to no avail. I fill up the bathtub with hot water and sink into it, losing myself in the placid weightlessness in the water. I want to go to Neverland. I want to get away from London and the hectic life I have here. I want to forget about losing father and Daniel, all in the same week. I want to go to Neverland and never come back. I don't want to have anything to do with this life anymore.

After my bath I sleep for hours, then wake up in the middle of the night, fully rested and still miserable. For the next few days I don't eat, I don't do anything really except lay in bed, sulking and reflecting.

I lose track of time all together. The rising and falling of the sun and moon meaning nothing to me, just occurrences meshed together by endless, mind numbing thoughts and events on the outside. I feel like this nothingness is building up to something, something big, but something that doesn't exist all together. I feel hopeless and as if my existence doesn't matter anymore. This is when I fill the bathtub again, with cold water this time. I don't bother to take off my clothes, I just lay in the tub, letting the water drag me under.

I need air, my lungs are on fire. But I don't move. I force myself to stay down. Neverland will come shortly. Won't it? Then, everything goes fuzzy.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I'm faintly aware of the strong hand pulling me out of the water, carrying me out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, placing me gently on the bed. I unconsciously cough and sputter, choking on the water trapped in my lungs.

Once I begin to breathe regularly again, I notice I'm trembling, feeling weak and hollow. I take several deep breaths and open my eyes, looking around. There he is, standing over me, watching as I lay, soaking wet, and pathetic.

"Peter."

"What is wrong with you?" he says immediately.

I use all my strength to sit up, "What-"

"Why would you do something like that!" the fear is evident in his eyes and he wraps his arms around me. "Wendy, I thought I was going to lose you."

"Daniel, h-he was with another w-woman," my teeth are chattering now. "And f-father's gone," I shake my head miserably as Peter gives me his coat. "My life..."

Peter places his hand on my cheek, it's warm and strong, "I'm here for you, Wendy, I was always here for you."

The tears are in my eyes before I can even push them away.

"I'll always be here for you," he whispers, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

We sit in silence for several minutes.

And then I say, "I want to go to Neverland."  
**  
Author's Note:** Sorry it was so short, and sorry it took me so long to write. Hope you like it, next chapter's coming soon!


	11. The Magician Reveals His Secrets

**Chapter Eleven  
The Magician Reveals His Secrets**

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews, they are very encouraging! And, although I started this story without much knowledge on the victorian-era I knew an unmarried woman would not likely live by herself, but Wendy was never very conventional was she? Why would she be any different as an adult? Hope you all like chapter eleven!

"I want to go to Neverland."

Peter's face doesn't falter for a second, then he's in shock, "Ne-Never-What?"

"Neverland! Can't we go Peter?" I beg him. "Can't we leave this world forever and just live together in Neverland, just us?"

A look of struggle possesses his face and he looks pained, "Wendy, we can't-"

"Why not?" I'm panicked now. "Please, what do we have to live for here?"

"Wendy, we can't. Daniel- and your family-"

"NO! I hate Daniel, he was with another woman! Don't you understand that! My family is falling apart! Please Peter, take me to Neverland," I'm crying now, and he looks as if he's considering it.

Peter takes my hand in his and kisses it, "Wendy, we can't just-"

I yank my hands away from him and stand up, "Why are you doing this? Why are you so different! What is so different this time that you can't run away to Neverland with me?"

"Nothing's different-"

"No, Peter, _you're_ different. You've changed."

Peter shakes his head, "No I haven't."

I'm about to respond, but Peter cuts me off.

"You want to go to Neverland?" he asks. "We'll go to Neverland."

He grabs my hand and pulls me right out of the house. I'm still soaking wet and coughing, but we don't stop. Before I can even realize it we're out of the nicer parts of London and into the slums.

"Peter, where are we going?"

He doesn't reply, only continues to pull me along roughly.

Finally, we reach a larger, nicer house, on the outskirts of the city. Peter doesn't go to the front door, he goes around the back and looks around into the yard. I'm not sure what he's looking for, but it's sending chills up and down my spine.

"All right," he says, pulling me closer to him and opening a side door. "He's not home, but I don't know when he could come back so we have to hurry or we'll never get a chance to do this again, ever."

"Peter, who-"

He shushes me and pulls me into the house. It feels as if no one's home, no sound emits itself from the dark rooms and all I can hear is the distant ticking of a clock. In a flash, we're going up a flight of stairs and down a pitch black hallway. He opens the door at the far end of the hall and we go inside the room.

It's dark and cold, there's no outline of anything, the moon's light isn't even cast into the area because the curtains are pulled tight and they are thick and shielding.

Peter marches into the room and throws open the curtains, immediately I see a bed, a table filled with papers and unknown objects, a fireplace, and a few chairs scattered around the room. Peter walks over to a wardrobe and thrusts open the door, from there he pulls out a small glass box which contains none other than Tinkerbell.

He taps on the glass until the fairy stirs awake and stands up, "Tink, do you think you can help take us to Neverland?"

She looks so tired and worn out but she nods.

"How do we get her out of there?" I ask.

Peter unscrews a bolt from the side and the whole thing falls apart, and Tinkerbell flutters into his hand.

With his other hand he takes mine and pulls me downstairs again, "We can't be here, we need to get away before he comes back."

"Before who comes back, Peter!"

"Before I come back?"

The voice is deep and it sends chills down my spine, it's familiar and eerie at the same time and it's dripping with menace. The worst part is, it's coming from the shadows of the hall in front of our gateway out.

"No..." Peter's scared voice trails off.

"Did you think you'd get away from me Peter? Just by taking the fairy and running? Oh no boy, we had a deal, and you're mine until my end of the bargain is fulfilled!" the man steps into the dim light of the moon and he looks so familiar.

"Who are-"

"You have you're little beau, Peter," he snarls. "Now you're going to wait until I kill Daniel Shaw when he's vulnerable so I can see this premonition come true!" he smirks. "I will get all the money in these banks."

It doesn't make sense. How could he- Wait! He's the man that I bumped into in the restaurant.

He looks at me and sees my puzzled expression, "Yes, pretty little thing didn't you know!" he comes very close to my face and I can smell something warm and foul on his breath. "I had Peter here break up your engagement so you're fiance would be wounded and upset and _weak_!"

I look at Peter with tears in my eyes, "That's not true Wendy, I didn't mean for that to happen-"

"Oh but it worked out for my benefit, didn't it!" the man shouts. "It was so easy to kill the old windbag- You're father," he says to me. "Just slipped a little something in his drink at the restaurant, no one even noticed. Of course, it took a little longer to work then I expected, but that's all right, it still worked!" his smile is maniacal and the tears are flowing freely from my eyes.

Peter's looking at the far wall, away from me, shame etched on his face.

"And now I'm going to kill Daniel Shaw."

"B-But why?" I ask.

The man pauses for a second and then says, "There will be these little missing pieces in all these banking staffs, someone has died, they'll be just somewhat distracted by it... That's when I come in, wriggle my way into the system and make sure something gets messed up, turned a wrong way, they'll focus on that as I go through my plan to embezzle as much money as I can from right under their noses."

A wet sob escapes me, I can't look at Peter, I can't believe he was working with this man to do all this, ruining my life completely in the process. They killed my father, they ruined my engagement, they're going to kill Daniel.

"I should never have trusted you," I spit the words at Peter.

"I didn't do this Wendy, I didn't know he would do all this! I thought he was just going to steal the money, I thought that wouldn't matter if we were togeth-"

"Don't talk to me," I sniff. "I hate you," I turn to the man. "And you? You're insane!" and I run from the house before either of them can chase after me.

I have to warn Daniel, I have to get him back, I have to- I have to stop thinking about Peter Pan and Neverland and things that just aren't real. I have to fall into my safe, normal, predictable life again.

**Author's Note:** And that's still not the end! Chapter twelve is coming soon!


	12. Ending the Dialogue

Chapter Twelve  
Ending the Dialogue

Author's Note: If anyone's still confused you might have to look back at some of the previous chapters and reread eleven to put the pieces together. I'm sooooooo sooooooo sorry this chapter has taken sooooooo soooooo long to update, school is crazy right now and I haven't had much time to work on anything. I hope this chapter makes up for that. Thanks for the reviews, here's chapter twelve!

I pound on the front door of Daniel's house and it's a minute or so before he answers. He's disgruntled, his hair is messy, and his shirt is on, not buttoned, but on.

"Wendy!" he asks, shouting at me before he can stop himself. "What are you _doing_ here!"

"D-Daniel, I need to talk to you!"

He shakes his head, "Not now Wendy, please," he says, looking tired and irritated. "Wait until tomorrow."

"NO! You don't understand-"

"WENDY!"

It's Peter. I know it is before he even comes up to me.

"You!" Daniel spits. "Haven't you created enough problems as it is-"

"Get away from me, Peter," I hiss, pulling myself away from his as he tries to embrace me.

Daniel cuts in again, "I think it's time you leave, for good," he narrows his eyes.

Peter ignores him, taking my hand in his whether I like it or not, "Wendy I need to explain, please-"

"No! You're the reason my father's dead, the reason my engagement is broken... YOU'VE RUINED MY LIFE!" I shake my head, about to cry. "What don't you understand about what?"

He shakes his head, "Wendy, please, I didn't mean-"

"Your father is dead?" Daniel asks, shocked. "And it's _your_ fault?"

I'm shaken back to the fact that that eerie man wants to kill Daniel next.

"Daniel, we need to get out of here, we need to get away before he comes-"

Daniel looks disgusted, "The both of you are roaring mad, talking absolute, bloody sh-"

"He's dead Wendy."

I look at Peter, this all too much to handle. WHO'S DEAD?

"Who? My father?"

"Christoph- Mr. Hudson- the man, he's dead."

I can't breathe, I don't understand any of this. I'm so confused and my head is aching. Everything is rushing at me all at once, too fast for me to handle, too hard for me to understand. Why me? Why now? I just don't get it, any of it.

It's silent, they're waiting for my reaction but, my breaths coming in short spurts, erratically and without any particular rhythm. My head is pounding, my chest hurts. I'm dizzy, so bloody dizzy.

"Wendy, what the hell is he talking about-"

But I can't respond, I'm falling to the ground before I can prevent it, everything is closing in around me, fading to black.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

When I wake up I instantly feel the pain throbbing in the back of my head and how badly my eyes burn and ache when I open them. The second thing I think about is the fact that I hear running water, a brook. And I feel grass underneath me, warm, soft blades of grass. And then the sun beating down on me, warming my face and limbs, making me feel lazy and a little more content.

Where am I?

I decide it's time to finally open my eyes, no matter how much discomfort it causes me. When I do, I'm blinded by light and color. And when I finally adjust I see I'm sitting in a small clearing of grass, gated in by trees which hang over the area, only shading some of it though. There's a small stream of water to my right, water is bubbling and rolling over smooth rocks, gliding away until I can't see it anymore.

I sit up, seeing that there's a small hill, covered in rocks and foliage on the other side of the stream and behind me are trees and trees, overlapping, like one mass of brown and green. And in front of me is a trail, leading the way through more forest.

And the air smells sweet, sweet and light. Breezy and pungent. And I can feel something swirling around, something invisible and strong. Magic.

I'm in Neverland.

I realize it before my brain has time to prepare for the very idea and I gasp. I sit up straight, confused and relieved. Peter's standing next to the stream but, when he sees I'm awake, awake and confused, he's instantly at my side.

"How did you- Peter-"

"I'm sorry," he pulls me into an embrace and I lean against him. "I'm so sorry, for everything."

I don't respond right away but, then I ask, "What happened? I don't- I don't understand."

"Wendy," he begins, stroking my hair, gazing at me. "It's a long and complicated story-"

"And I think I'm entitled to hear that story," I reply curtly.

He sighs, rubbing his thumb against my cheek, "I came to London from Neverland a week after I had brought you and the boys back... Like I told you, I lived on the streets, ashamed I had felt so alone in Neverland, embarrassed that I couldn't stand to be without the people who I had acted like I had command over... I don't know, I just felt too embarrassed to face any of it-"

"But Peter we wouldn't have-"

"It didn't matter," he shakes his head. "And the longer I prolonged it, the harder it got and the easier it became to live on the streets like that, hungry and cold."

I take in a sharp breath.

He gently runs his fingertips up and down my neck soothingly as he says, "And then, after a year or so, I was sleeping in a doorway, expecting to wake up and leave before anyone found me there but, instead, Christoph Hudson, the man from before, opened the door and was about to kick me out of the way when he just stopped..."

He pauses, his eyes glazing over.

"And then he grabbed me by the collar and just took me into his house. He got me clothes and fed me and made sure I had an education," he shook his head. "He was harsh and strict and wouldn't hesitate to hit me but, I wasn't on the streets anymore."

I shake my head now, "I still don't understand."

"After staying with him for a few weeks I kept asking him if I could come see you and the boys, it was only after a few months that he told me I couldn't," he pauses. "He finally informed me about this prophecy that he had had, the night before he found me in his doorway. It was a vision, he told me he had a dream that a girl, who meant very much to me, had two connections to both of the banks in the city that were very well off."

I knot my eyebrows.

"He knew your father was who he was, and he knew you would be engaged to Daniel," he licks his lips. "I didn't know that he would kill your father and attempt the same with Daniel-" I try to cut him off with a sob but, he continues. "I thought he would just get Daniel and you broken up and he would steal the money or something, I had no idea what the plan was. It was selfish of me but I was growing desperate-"

"How-"

He shakes his head, shamefully, "I didn't care what I was agreeing to, Wendy, I just wanted to see you and he said I couldn't until the time was right, until everything was ready," his eyes are begging for my apology but, I don't know how to comprehend any of this.

I let out a watery sob and try to push him away but he wraps his arms around me and I find myself burying my face in his chest, crying, crying without inhibition or restrain. I want to be so mad at him. I need to be angry, to lash out at him and never speak to him again. To push him away and demand he take me back home to London where I can straighten out my life, I need to, it's the logical thing to do. But logic seems to fall from my mind for the time being.

He lets out a shuttering sigh, "I love you and all I cared about was seeing you again, I didn't want to lose my chance to be with you... But, I think I already have."

I shake my head, I don't want to lose him either, I need him, more than I've ever needed him. And I look up at him, my vision obscured with tears, "I love you too."

He smiles for a minute but, then it fades to a discontented frown, "He's dead now, I killed him- I had to, and sooner or later I'll have to deal with the consequences, good or bad," he pauses. "I'm so sorry for everything. I shouldn't have- I'm just so sorry."

"Stop, just, don't talk, please?" I say, snuggling into the warmth of his broad chest, trying to find comfort in such an impossibly horrible time. "Just hold me."

And that is just what he does.

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry, again, for taking so long to update. I hope you liked the chapter, the next one's coming sooner, hopefully, anyway.


	13. The Dramatic Love Scene

**Chapter Thirteen  
The Dramatic Love Scene**

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for the reviews! Here's chapter thirteen!

"Why'd you bring me to Neverland?" I ask Peter as we trek through the forest, set out to find the tree house.

Peter shakes his head, squinting in the sunlight as we dodge trees, shrubbery, folliage, vines, and rocks, "You had asked me to before, remember? And I wanted to get you away from Daniel and the idea of losing your father."

I'm silent.

"It was stupid though, you probably want to go back, to fix everything as best you can, to move on-"

"No," I shake my head fiercely. "I want to be away from it all."

And I do. When I think of going back to London to a funeral, full of people telling me they're sorry when they're really not... To return to a London where people are gossiping about my broken engagement, spinning vicious lies about me. I don't want to go back to that. I don't want to go back to that at all.

And maybe I'm being selfish for staying in Neverland. Maybe it's horrible of me to stay away when my family needs me and is probably worrying about me, calling the police to find me. But I can't bear to go back. It wouldn't be fair to _myself_ if I returned now. I just need to be away and think everything through.

After an hour or so of looking around we come across the old tree house.

It stands ominous and tall, strong and undeterred. Vines have grown around it, bright flowers crawling up the trunk, sweet and pungent, otherwise it's the same.

We stand before it, unsure how to respond. We've both been away from this precious home for so long, something that was once so basic to us is now horribly complex. I'm experiencing feelings of nostalgia and fear, sadness and regret. Every feeling rips through me and I take a deep breath. I want to cry and laugh and dance and fall down at the same time. Should we move forward, into the treehouse? Or turn around and sleep among the trees?

Peter takes my hand and, together, we move forward.

Although the treehouse has hardly changed on the outside, the inside has been left alone for years, leaving everything still in place, but covered in dust or dirt and some overgrown greenery that has crept inside.

I suck in a breath, so many memories are held in this place and I shake with chills. Goosepimples cover my arms and scalp and Peter squeezes my hand.

"Welcome home," I say quietly.

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After cleaning up the treehouse a bit I tell Peter I need to take a walk. He nods, understanding my need for space and desire to be alone. As I walk through the forest, sure to not get lost, thoughts are whirring around in my brain. The mere sight of Peter's old makeshift throne sitting in the middle of the treehouse, as if it had been waiting for us, set off a whole slew of feelings that I can't quite pinpoint.

I loved Daniel.

No, I thought I loved Daniel. But now, looking at Peter, back in Neverland... I don't know, I guess I realize I never stopped loving him, despite what I did have with Daniel.

Daniel was nice, and safe and stubborn. He tried to control me in a little ways, things I couldn't deal with. My parents loved him, my brothers loved him, he was nice and predictable. But Peter... Peter is spontaneous and he makes my heart flutter and the world is clear and almost buzzes with vitality when I'm around him. Even though the circumstances under which I've been with him recently were either depressing or confusing, scary or nervewracking, I still felt the same way about him.

And I can't help being happy when I know the rest of my life isn't planned out according to Daniel. I want to be with Peter, but is that even possible?

I tried to be with him once, and we were young then, and he had pulled away, reluctant to love me. Why is he so eager now? What had changed? I don't know.

I miss my father. I used to be afraid of him at times, he had such authority it seemed, but I loved him. He was a good father, he loved us. And now he's gone. So quickly. And I never got to say goodbye. I miss my brothers, and the Lost Boys. I miss that feeling of not being consfused and muddled and full of thoughts, but so empty at the same time.

I feel so hollow.

And I stop walking, I sit against the base of the tree and cry for hours. I don't get up until the sun is slowly falling from the sky, replaced by a nearly transparent moon. The forest is a pale blue and shadows hang around me. I make my way back to the treehouse, looking around me.

I missed Neverland. I missed feeling free here, as if the rest of the world doesn't exist.

I smile to myself as I remember playing hide and seek in these woods, dancing with Peter, fighting the pirates, living with magic pulsing around me.

I take a deep breath.

Two fairies fly passed me in the distance and I remind myself, _you're living the magic again_.

I finally get back to the treehouse and I see Peter pacing around, having lit the small candles around the room.

"Are you ready?" he asks.

"Ready?" I reiterate.

"To go back to London," he says.

I freeze, "W-What do you mean?"

"You didn't think we could stay here, did you?" he asks.

"Why would we clean the-"

"Just because it was our home and it was dirty!" be snaps. "You know we can't stay here, we belong in London."

"No," I shake my head. "We don't, not now."

He sighs, "Running from our problems isn't going to solve anything, we've grown up, we need to go back-"

"What's happened to you?" I whisper, my eyes narrowing on him.

He shakes his head, "I've grown up."

It was an itching, unbearable feeling that he was changing and I hadn't fully realized it until now.

"You shouldn't have..." I mutter.

"Why not?" he grows defensive.

I shake my head a little, "You used to be so carefree, almost like you couldn't be tamed. You're not like that anymore, you're different."

"It's better this way," he says.

"No, it's not you!" I cry out. "I want you to beg me to stay in Neverland, I want you to be reckless and free!"

"But you loved Daniel, and he was so-"

"I didn't love Daniel, not like I love you."

He stops, looking at me as if he's confused, "But you pushed me away-"

I cut him off, "I was with Daniel, it wasn't right!" I stammer, "Why are you so ready to love me now? You wouldn't even stand by the idea of love, especially with me, when we were younger."

The empty feeling is coming back and I just wish it would go away.

The tension is rising as Peter says, "I was young, I was scared of those feelings! But I'm not anymore, I lost you once and I won't let it happen again."

I want this empty feeling to go away, so badly.

"I want to love you Wendy, but I'm so afraid..." It's like he's had this revelation just now, while I was walking through the woods.

"Afraid of what?"

He shakes his head, "I'm afraid I messed up your life too much for you to be able to love me... I hate myself for what I've done."

I'm not angry, I've been angry and I've past that, he didn't do it on purpose, he didn't even know. I'm not going to blame him anymore, I'm just hollow now, hollow and cold.

"But I love you so much..." he trails off as I walk up to him, placing one hand on his broad chest and the other on his cheek.

"So love me," I tell him.

I don't want to feel sadness anymore or emptiness, I just want Peter.

He shakes his head, "I can't do this, I can't hurt you again-"

I cut him off and press my lips firmly against his.

He's shocked at first, then tries to pull away but I grab his shirt collar, and hold him against me with my other hand on his back.

I hear him groan, as if I'm making it hard for him to say no.

His lips escape mine and he mumbles distractedly, "Wendy, I can't-"

"Peter, I love you, stop trying to make excuses to get away from me," I say. "I don't want to think about anything else, I just want to be with you."

He's struggling, "But-"

"No, I've denied it too long."

He looks at me longingly, stroking my cheek, letting his hand slip down to rest on my neck.

I know he loves me, and I love him. And if I want this empty feeling to go away I know Peter can do that.

He caves in, our lips crashing together, passionate and hungry, scared and unsure. We're not children anymore, and this isn't a game. It's real and it's grown up. It's something I've wanted for so long, just to have Peter and be happy.

My hands are entangled in his hair and his hands are on my waist pulling me closer, we stumble until we fall onto the old makeshift bed. We're laughing, giggling and stupid.

We don't care about what's proper or what everyone will think, we're in Neverland and we're free. And that thought alone fills the emptiness left in me.

**Author's Note:** I'm not so sure about this chapter. You guys let me know what you think, I hope you liked it!


	14. Actress Makes Her Choice

Chapter Fourteen  
Actress Makes Her Choice

Author's Note: Chapter fourteen is here!

"A rose."

"A bow-tie."

"A heart."

"An upside-down cat."

"Wait," I say, squinting at the sky. "Where do you see an upside-down cat?"

He points right above us, towards a herd of clouds, "Right there."

I look at it, searching for a cat upside down as a gentle breeze pushes over us, "There's no cat."

"Yes there, is," he argues.

"Peter you've gone mad, I don't see any cat."

He sighs, "Just because _you_ don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there."

"I think you're seeing things."

He sits up and looks at me, "Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

He moves closer to me, if that's possible, and places his hand on the other side of me, so his arm is above my chest. His face is only a foot or so away from me and he's gazing into my eyes with such ferocity that I grow weak.

I love him so much.

I don't know how I could have forgotten about him, I don't know how I could have thought I loved Daniel. I could never feel for Daniel the way I feel for Peter. Every nerve stands on end when I'm around him, everything seems clear and electrified and I don't think about anything but him. His scent, his eyes, his skin, his laughter, his voice.

This is how it's been for days, how many days? I couldn't say. We've been in Neverland, thinking about only us and a romance we left on hold as children. It's so selfish of me but I've been trying so hard not to think about my father and Daniel and the London I left behind. It was all so tangled and crooked in my mind for so long I feel such a relief now that I can breathe and be happy. For a short time anyway.

We know we have to go back to London. We have to abandon this wonderful Neverland. But we are adults now, and we can't live or lives hiding out in a make believe world. Although the suggestion is attempting.

Father is long buried, my family knows I'm missing by now too. But the grief is still there, when I return there will still be covered mirrors and black everywhere. People will still be sending mother their apologies and she will still be crying. John will be strong though, I don't know if it's just a mask, but he'll be strong for mother, and for me and Michael. I can't imagine how Michael is coping right now. I don't want to think about it.

Daniel is still fuming over my infidelity, and I know the gossip is spreading across the city over our broken engagement.

And that awful man that Peter killed. I can't think about that either. That man is the reason father is dead, the reason Daniel and I are not betrothed anymore, the reason my life fell to shambles. He used Peter to fulfill a premonition he had had? He used my Peter as a pawn to ruin my life. I can't even wrap my head around it.

And that is what I have to return to. It may be incredibly selfish, but I can't deal with it right now.

"You're beautiful," Peter says suddenly, still hovering over me.

I smile, forgetting about London immediately.

"Doust thou lie to me?"

He feigns a look of shock, "I? Good lady, never!" he leans in and kisses me softly.

"You are blinded by love?" I ask him when he's pulled away, hovering just a few inches above my face.

He smirks, "Blind? Me? Never."

I smile again, reaching up and twisting a lock of his blonde hair around my finger, "I missed you so much," I whisper.

His look grows serious and he leans in again, "I missed you more," he says against my lips.

I kiss him hungrily and then when he breaks away he takes my hand and we stand. He leads me to a small lagoon, hidden by a rocky ledge around it. There's a waterfall issuing foamy white water into the pool. It's masked by thick trees and foliage and I never knew it existed.

Without so much as a warning, Peter lets go of my hand and runs to the water, jumping in. I stand there, staring at the splash of water, waiting for him to resurface. When he does, his hair is dripping with water and he's smiling, droplets of water hanging from his eyelashes.

"Are you mad?" I ask him.

He shakes his head, "Come in!"

I shake my head, "No thank you."

"Please?"

"No, it's probably freezing," I say.

He shakes his head now, "Not at all."

"I don't believe you."

He gets out of the water and runs up to me, wrapping his arms around me. His cold, icy skin touches mine and I shriek, but he won't let go.

"Peter, you're freezing!"

He laughs, rubbing his cheek against my face, "You don't mind at all."

I laugh, because I don't mind.

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After we return to the treehouse Peter dries off and I sit on the bed as he does so.

He rubs a dry handkerchief over his ears to dry them and I get up, "You're doing it wrong."

He turns to me, "What do you mean?"

"To dry your ears," I take the handkerchief from him and twist it so it's thin enough to fit into even a small child's ear. "You stick it in your ear so you can dry out the insides of your ears."

He smiles fondly at me as he does as I tell him, "Where'd you learn that?"

"Mother," I say, smiling as I remember how she taught us as young children.

And now I feel heavy with guilt.

Mother, she probably feels so alone and depressed right now. John and Michael, how are they coping with losing father? Are they all frantic with worry over where I've gone? Do they think they've lost two family members? How can I be so selfish? I feel terrible.

"What's wrong?" Peter asks, as he drops the handkerchief onto a small stump serving as an end table.

I shake my head, overcome with guilt and sadness. I think I might cry.

"Wendy," he says sweetly, putting his arms around my waist. "What is it? What's wrong?"

I shake my head again as the tears pool in my eyes, "I'm a horrible person," I say.

"No," he says so kindly. "No you aren't. Don't say that."

I cover my mouth.

"Why are you saying that? What happened?"

"My family, they need me," I stammer. "They're probably worried sick, we should go back, I should have agreed to go back before."

He strokes my hair and looks me in the eye, "Wendy, you needed to think of yourself, and you did. If you had gone back to your family then you would have been in a horrible state of mind, you would have been a wreck."

I think about what he's saying, feeling the guilt soften a little.

He watches me silently.

"Can we go back tomorrow?" I ask feebly.

He nods, "Anything you want."

"Thank you," I whisper, nearly collapsing into his embrace.

And so we return to London tomorrow.  
**  
Author's Note:** Sorry the update took so long, I've been very busy lately and lazy. I know there was a lot of fluff in this chapter, but everything's been so sad so far so I thought we needed some cute romance. Next chapter might bring you down again. Some more drama's coming on the way, if that's even possible. Hope you're ready!


	15. Tears Not Yet Shed

Chapter Fifteen  
Tears Not Yet Shed

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long between updates! Hope this makes up for it!

When we arrive in London it's late afternoon. The sun is high in the sky and everything's damp and glistening, as if we've just missed a rain shower. Steam rises from the roads and the sky is a bright, cloudless blue. I find I'm shaking as we walk up the sidewalk to my parents' house. It's standing there on the corner, just as it always has been, as if nothing at all has changed. But within the walls of this house, how different are the people?

As we reach the front stoop I turn to Peter, "Would you mind very much letting me do this by myself?" I ask. "You could go back to my house if you want and spend the day there, I have lots of books, I just-"

Peter cuts me off, "Say no more," he smiles. "I'll be waiting for you, all right?"

I nod and he gives me a kiss on the cheek before turning around and disappearing down the sidewalk.

I take a deep breath and ascend the two steps and then, finally, open the front door and make my way inside.

The front hall is cool and dim, I close the door behind me, engulfing myself in a silence so intense I almost fear I've gone deaf. I walk across the hall and peer into the parlor, it's empty. I try the kitchen, but no one's there. For a brief moment I think about looking in father's study but then I remind myself that he's gone... I swallow hard, ignoring the burning in my throat.

After going up the stairs and walking the length of the hall, I stop at my mother's room. I knock on the door and, after a moment, am greeted by the tearstained face of my mother. She covers her mouth when she sees me, her eyes refilling with tears, and she embraces me tightly.

"Wendy," she murmurs. "My Wendy."

"I'm sorry I went away mother, I didn't know what else to do-"

She shakes her head, pulling away, "No dear, don't worry."

After she leads me into her room, closing the door behind us, we sit on her bed and she holds my hands firmly in hers. Her fading auburn hair is pinned back and she's dressed in a black dress. I look at her red, puffy, tearstained face and feel my heart pang. She smiles weakly at me.

"Has father been buried?" I ask, almost inaudibly.

She nods.

I feel the tears pushing against my eyelids, and before I know it they're falling freely.

"Mother, my engagement to Daniel, and father... I feel like it's my fault," I confess.

She shakes her head, smiling sympathetically, "No, precious, don't think that way... How could it possibly be your fault?"

"Peter Pan," I whisper.

She pauses, "What?"

I tell her the whole story, about Peter agreeing to that horrible man's terms. I spill everything out of my mouth, the man killing father without anyone knowing, Peter accidentally breaking my engagement up, Peter killing the man out of defense and anger, and then my running away to Neverland. By the time I'm finished mother and I are crying without inhibition, hot tears pouring down our faces, and we're clutching each other for support.

"It's not your fault, dear," she still says. "Not even Peter's."

"But father didn't have to die, he wouldn't have died if that man hadn't-"

She shushes me, "Wendy, what's done is done. As much as I would like to change it, we can't," she tries to smile but fails. "That man had his justice done to him, and for that we should be thankful."

I frown, "How can you make sense out of it all? How do you sound so hopeful?"

"What else do we have?" she asks with a small, sad smile.

I smile, wiping the tears of my face with the back of my hand, "Where are John and Michael?"

"John's downstairs, he's been in your father's office, sorting through things," she tells me. "And I haven't seen Michael all day, I believe he went out."

I nod, standing, "I should go talk to John."

"I think I'll stay in here a little longer."

I smile sadly again and make my way down stairs.

John is in father's study, but he isn't sorting through anything, he's got his face hidden in his arms which are folded on father's desk. When I walk in without knocking he looks up quickly and is surprised to see me there. He gets up immediately, and begins shuffling through papers.

Just as I thought, he's acting as if his feelings don't count, as if he hardly has emotions at all. He'll walk around with a shoulder to cry on and a silence that is necessary when one needs to have a good cry. I've never seen John be anything but strong for everyone, it's what father always told him to do.

"You're the second man of the house, if I can't be the rock of the family it must be you," father had said once.

And now, more than ever, he's a rock. A cold, unfeeling rock. I can cry on him all I want, I could scream at him and beat his chest, blaming him for father's death and he would be solid, he would let me grieve in my own way. But he would never allow himself that kind of luxury, to grieve openly to anyone else.

I silently wonder if he's cried yet.

"Wendy, what a surprise," he says sensibly, as if I'm visiting him at the office to go out for lunch. "I was just- I was just organizing some papers."

I smile sympathetically at him, he isn't hiding his discomfort very well.

"Can I do something for you?" he asks me when I don't say anything.

I don't like this formality he's showing me, this proper, rigid behavior he's shown me ever since we grew up. I want to joke and talk to him like we used to, before we became adults.

He tosses the papers he was holding onto the great, sturdy desk before him and looks up at me.

There's something hidden, buried behind round glasses, thick dark lashes, and eyes that are imbued with untold thoughts. I feel my heart wrench just looking into those eyes. The eyes of my little brother, of the boy who went to Neverland with me and fought pirates, the boy who played pretend with Michael and me for years and enjoyed the magic of Peter Pan and everything that surrounded him alongside me. The boy who listened to my stories as a baby, before I even knew of Peter, before anyone would listen to a little girl's nonsensical made-up stories. That same boy, now standing before me as a man, but revealing that same innocent vulnerability in just one long look at his older sister.

He falters, looking away, "Wh-Where have you been? We tried asking Daniel but he said something about you no longer being betrothed-"

"I was in Neverland," I tell him.

He looks up, startled, but only glances at my eyes for a moment, before staring at the floor, "Oh?"

"I just couldn't bear father's death, and there was this whole dilemma with Daniel... And then- Well, there's a lot more to it than I can explain right now," I say.

He nods, but doesn't look at me.

"John."

"Hmmm?" he still won't meet my eyes.

"John," I say again, more sternly now. "Look at me," I plead.

He does, his eyes move up first, slowly, not really seeing anything until they meet mine. Then his head follows, once facing the floor, he's now facing me.

His eyes flicker in fear, panic, he feels he needs to stay strong, i can't know his true feelings, he needs to be strong like father told him. He's so confused, so torn and I can see it just from looking into his eyes again.

Before I even think about it, I swiftly walk over to him and hug him tightly. At first he doesn't even know how to respond, and then his arms fold around me in return.

"It's all right Wendy," he whispers, as if I'm asking for his comfort, not trying to comfort him.

All I think of asking after a few long minutes is, "Can you take me to father's grave?" I whisper, and he nods.

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When we arrive at the churchyard where father is buried we're surprised to find a red-haired man there, hunched in front of the still-fresh grave that is strewn with flowers.

"Michael?" I call out as we reach him.

He looks up abruptly and stands up as we come over. I'm surprised to see him looking sick and extremely unkempt. His eyes are hollow and surrounded in bluish-black circles, heavy and tired-looking, his hair is uncombed and he hasn't shaved in days. I have a feeling he hasn't eaten much either, which, in the Darling household, is an extremely rare occurrence for our youngest member.

"Are you all right?" I ask him.

He looks angry, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I ask. "You don't look very-"

"As if you care!" he shouts so suddenly I jump a little. "You ran away to have a jolly ol' time and left us to rot in mourning!"

I feel a bit stung, and I know I shouldn't... I did leave my family at a very crucial time. Just because mother and John managed to brush it off as nothing doesn't mean I shouldn't be berated for it.

"Michael, I'm sorry-"

"Sorry? Sorry my arse!" he shakes his head. "You always played the motherly card a little after Neverland, didn't you Wendy? Hoping Peter would come back and play father with you again?" he snaps poisonously. "And then when he did come back, what did you do? You up and ran away with him, even though our father had just died, our mother was miserable, and we were all alone!"

I'm surprised, so surprised I don't know what to say. How did he know where I was... How did he know about Peter?

"Well, that's where you were wasn't it?" he demands. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

I take a shaky breath, "I never- I didn't mean for it to be that way."

Does he really think I only took care of them after Neverland because I hoped Peter would come back and play father? Does he really think I only cared about being with Peter and fulfilling my romantic fantasies when I left a little more than a week ago? Doesn't he know I needed to think about something, anything other than father's death and my ruined engagement? Doesn't he know I needed to clear my head to think straight? How can he be so right about everything else, things that nobody else could have guessed, but be so wrong about everything else at the same time?

"Did you even _care about father_?!" he demands of me quite suddenly. "You and him were always fighting, and arguing! you were probably glad when he-"

I know what he's about to say and I cut him off with a slap to the face.

We all stand there, all three of us in stunned silence. My hand burns a little and Michael's cheek is slowly turning red, but all he does is stare at me, his eyes wide and his breathing ragged.

"That's not fair," I say shakily, referring to what he never finished saying.

"What would you know about fair, _Wendy_?" he snaps, taking a step closer to me. "You disappeared for a week!"

I don't say anything.

"Selfish, bit-"

"That's enough Michael," John barks, always the mediator, always the father-figure when our father is not around.

As if he's a horse, spooked, with anything to set him off into an anxious spin, this has set him off, and Michael pulls back, punching John across the face.

"Michael!" I shout.

John falls backward, taken by surprise, "What the bloody hell is wrong with you-" he's cut off as Michael lunges at him and begins slapping him, punching him, pulling at his hair, anything he can do to hurt him.

"Stop it!" I shout, grabbing his arm. "Stop it Michael!"

After a long minute or so, I manage to pry him off and he stands a little ways away from John, seething.

"What's the matter with you?" John demands, he wipes his nose and then looks at the back of his hand to check if he's bleeding, he's not. "Have you gone mad?!"

Michael stands there, breathing in rough and strangled breaths, his eyes are blazing with anger and his teeth are clenched.

"Michael," I say slowly, "Father's death is affecting us all differently, but you don't have the right to take your anger out on us."

We stand there in silence for a few seconds, and then, without any warning, not even a tear or hiccup as a sign, he crumples to the ground, sobbing. I hurry over to him and put my arms around him as if by instinct. He's shaking violently and he wraps his arms around me tightly, searching for a little piece of comfort. John stands up, dusting himself off.

"We should go home, someone might see you," he says, his voice shaky. I look up at him and see his eyes are watery and he's swallowing hard.

I beckon for him to come into my embrace as well, but he shakes his head.

"John."

"I don't need any comfort, I'm fine-"

I cut him off, "John, you don't need to be strong for us right now," I say gently.

After several long seconds of silence his shoulders sag and he falls to his knees, leaning into Michael's and my embrace. Before I know it we're all crying, tears falling across our cheeks, sobs shaking our bodies against each other. We're crying, mourning the father we've known our whole lives, the father who we're never going to see again. We cry over the good byes we never got to say, the emotions we never got a chance to express, the father we'll never get to know further, and the fact that the only thing we'll have left soon, are memories.

I think even a little bit of all of us is crying for the fact that we grew up, and that we have to continue to grow up. Mourning, also, our innocence and childhood, because everything is different now. But maybe, maybe not everything has to always be so different, and that thought alone, helps a little.

Right now, I like this crying. I don't have to run away to Neverland to find my strength, Michael doesn't have to be angry to grieve, and John doesn't have to support us all. He doesn't have to be the only one to be strong for us, because right now, I think we're all strong enough for each other.

**Author's Note:** Short, I know, hope you liked it all the same! Reviewing would be nice!


	16. Characters Assuaged

**Chapter Sixteen  
Characters Assuaged**

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, and for being so patient for this update. If anyone feels like these following chapters turn a little like a soap-opera please let me know... I don't want this to be Peter Pan turned Days of Our Lives. Here's chapter sixteen! Hope you all like it!

_"And then, there was this great scary man!" John shouted, his eyes large. "And he had a knife!"_

Michael squealed.

"But you've forgotten Lord John," I said. "The knife was magical!"

"Magical?!" Mother gasped.

Michael clutched to her middle, her arms around his tiny frame as he looked on in wonder at the story John and I were relaying.

I nodded, "Yes!"

"The sword was of a most evil origin-"

"At its beginning it had been dipped into a blood-red potion, making it so that whoever it wounded would turn into stone!"

John broke in, "No! Whenever it wounded someone they became an evil vampire!"

I rolled my eyes, "John, don't be silly. Vampires don't exist."

"Neither do stone-turning knives!"

"John this is my story!"

"It's mine!"

"I started it and it'll go my way!"

"If I hadn't told you about the Lords and the Stone of Tomorrow you would never have even known about the knife!"

"WHAT KIND OF KNIFE WAS IT?!" Michael yelled.

We all broke into laughter at the sight of him hollering beside mother, this mouth wide, revealing several missing teeth. Suddenly Father bounded into the room and saw us all sitting on mother's bed, Michael beside her, John and I in front of her. All of us were in our night clothes and we were sitting in the dim light of only a few candles.

"What is going on here?" Father demanded.

We all became silent.

"The children were just telling me a most wonderful story," Mother said, beaming confidently at us.

Father smiled a little and then set his face into a frown again, "This is nonsense, children shouldn't be sitting in their parents room talking of such rubbish!"

"It's not rubbish Father!" I insisted, my eyes bright. "It's wonderful, would you like to hear a story?"

His eyes glinted with a teasing sparkle and he said, "Most certainly not! A respected man such as myself shouldn't be exposed to such... poppycock!"

Michael laughed.

"But there are vampires!" John insisted.

"Vampires?" Father mock gasped.

"No, a knife that can turn people into stone!"

"Stone!?"

We all laughed.

"I can't have any of this in my home!" he shouted, puffing his chest out. "Out! Out of this room right now!"

John and Michael stood up and ended up tackling father to the ground where he pretended to wrestle with them as Mother and I cheered them on from the bed. This would go on only for a little while before father finally decided it was time for bed. And then, he eventually stopped playing along all together. Until the Lost Boys came to live with us, he brightened up considerably then. But when we had all grown too old for wrestling and silly stories Father grew too old to roll about on the floor and pretend to be angry anyway.

I sit on a cold iron bench across the street from the Houses of Parliament, shivering violently, with my teeth clattering against each other. But I don't wish for a coat, or to be out of the cold, whipping wind. I allow my hair to be smacked against my face and for my nose to turn red and runny from the chill. Something about this coldness intensifies the world around me. The moon seems brighter, the face of the famous clock tower seems sharper, the night seems bluer, darker, and the people around me are brought to life. I'm even more aware of my sadness towards the loss of my Father, but I'm also vibrantly aware of my own existence, of the fact that I'm very much alive.

After John, Michael, and I cried until we had no tears left we went home. On the way there I explained the situation with Peter and of what had happened with Daniel. Then I briefly told them of Christoph. They took it very well, considering, and said that they did not blame me for anything.

When we got home we sat with Mother in her room, atop her bed, just like we used to. We talked about Father, and all the memories we've had with him. We laughed over Mother's story of how she and Father met, and of how they felt with us as screaming little babies. It was so nice to sit and talk with all of them, as if Michael, John, and I weren't grown up at all, as if it was the way it used to be. Except Father wasn't there, teasing us to leave and telling us we were being silly.

By the time I left the sun was down and there was a biting wind brushing through the streets. But I sat down when I reached the Houses of Parliament, admiring the lights of the towers glinting off the river.

But now, as I've been sitting here for some time, reflecting on memories with Father and my entire life as it is, I stand up and begin walking again.

It takes me a good several minutes to get home and when I reach my street I see a man slowly pacing in front of my house. Even from here I know who it is. It's not Peter, but he's familiar all the same. Daniel.

He sees me as I approach him and he rushes up to me, "Wendy!"

"What are you doing here?" is all I say.

He looks at me, pleading with his eyes, "I missed you," it's more of a question than a simple answer.

I shake my head, "It didn't seem like you missed me when I saw you kissing another woman."

"Wendy, that was not-"

"It doesn't matter to me Daniel, really."

He looks at me, "Can we talk at least? Please."

I look at him, there's such sincerity in the idea of him wanting to simply talk to me that after a few seconds I nod, "Come inside."

I find Peter in the drawing room and he looks up with a smile when I walk into the room. When he sees Daniel behind me though, he frowns, his eyebrows meeting in a crease.

"I need to talk to Daniel, Peter, would you mind going upstairs?"

He stares at Daniel, shaking his head wordlessly. He moves past us, giving me a look before he leaves as if to say, 'Be careful.'

When I hear him close the library door upstairs I turn and look Daniel in the eye, waiting.

"Wendy, I've really missed you," he says, and when I stay silent he continues. "I want you back, I want to marry you, to share my life with you. Can't we forget all that happened?"

I stare at him when he's done speaking, waiting to see if he's joking. And when I realize he's very serious, I consider his words. He misses me and he wants me back. I loved him once upon a time, I could easily love him again. If I agreed to marry him I'll have a life that resembles something slightly normal. No more drama with mysterious men killing people, no more fairies or Neverlands. I'll grow up, my life will be set back to normal.

"No," I finally say. "We can't forget what happened."

"But we can move past it, we can do that Wendy."

I shake my head, "You were the one who ended things between us Daniel. Nothing happened between Peter and I that night, but you ended things anyway."

"I don't care about that anymore Wendy, it doesn't matter to me," he takes my hands in his. "I love you-"

I wrench myself away and step backward, "Well, I don't love you Daniel, not like I used to," I sigh. "I'm sorry."

He looks at me, crestfallen, "You love Peter?"

I nod slowly.

"What is going on between the two of you, he's living here?" he asks sadly.

I nod again, "Daniel, I could explain what Peter and I have but you wouldn't understand, you wouldn't believe me, it's such a long story."

"I wasn't right for you, was I?"

I knot my eyebrows, "Wha-"

"I knew I wasn't," he says, looking away for a second. "You always wanted to be so free and I tied you down... I forced you to act sensible, to forget about the stories you wanted to write and the ideas you longed to bring to life," his eyes drill into mine. "I'm sorry Wendy."

I move towards him and embrace him, "No, Daniel," I say. "I loved you, I still love you, only not in the way a married woman should love her husband."

He nods as I pull away.

"I want to be your friend, if you'll have me," I say quietly.

He smiles a little, "Of course... Maybe you'll let me read one of your amazing stories one day?"

I laugh, "As soon as I write one down."

"Thank you Wendy, I'm sorry for all that happened."

"Me too, Daniel, I really am."

He nods, and after a beat of silence he says, "I should go."

I walk him to the door and embrace him one last time before he leaves. When he is gone though I walk upstairs and find Peter reading an old book on pirates. He stands up when I come in and walks over to me. His look is questioning and hopeful.

"What happened?"

"Daniel and I talked, we're friends now," I answer.

He nods.

We stare at each other in silence for a minute or so and then he says, "I should go-"

"Where are you going?" I ask, panic inching into my voice. "You're not going to stay with me?"

He looks confused, "I thought it was improper-"

"Peter, I think we've gone past what is proper or not."

A smile makes its way onto his face and he says, "You're right."

Later that night as I fall asleep beside Peter such a great feeling of contentment takes over me that I feel giddy and full of happiness. This feeling lasts all the way until I fall asleep, and then again when I wake up in the morning. Nothing can break this happiness. I'm almost sure of it.

**Author's Note:** Next chapter shall be up soon. I'm sorry it's taken so very long to update! Hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for reading.


	17. And Now, Happiness Upset

**Chapter Seventeen  
And Now, Happiness Upset**

**Author's Note:** I really appreciate everyone being so patient with this story. I know it's far too long between updates but I'm working on so many things right now that I'm losing sight of what my priorities are, update-wise anyway. Here is chapter seventeen, chock full of drama and fluff! Enjoy!

I wake up early. Beautiful, clement sunlight is pouring through the bedroom window, slanting across the floor and over my shoulders and face. The warmth makes me lazy and content as I lay in bed, Peter's still figure beside me. The lights sounds of morning traffic pass underneath my window, meshing with the sounds of Peter's heavy, rhythmic breathing. Turning onto my side I stare at his sleeping form.

His golden eyelashes are long, tickling the tops of his cheeks as his eyes are closed now. Beautiful lips, slightly parted, soft and inviting. He's lying down on his back, one arm at his side, the other slung carelessly over his chest. The golden waves of curls falling into his eyes are messy and disheveled, but they make me smile and snuggle closer to him. He's only dressed in his white under shirt and an old pair of John's pajama pants I was going to rip up for dish rags.

And I realize how inappropriate it is, us sleeping in the same bed, the same room, even. But I don't feel guilty at all. We're not doing anything wrong. We love each other and I know I can't bear to be away from Peter for a whole night when we've been separated for so long.

When I get out of bed I dress quickly behind the screen. From there I creep across the room and make my way downstairs where I retreat into the garden. It's chilly outside but I enjoy the cold and I casually walk along the little pathway in the grass, looking at the sky and the leafless branches of the large tree planted here.

After a few minutes I'm aware of the dopey smile planted on my face. I haven't been this happy in years. There's always been something plaguing me or worrying me, something distracting me from being truly happy. When I was younger it was always wondering why Peter hadn't returned, being afraid something had happened to him... And then when I decided to grow up I was always conscious of what I was doing wrong or right, what was expected of me, how I could please other people, how I could make everyone else happy.

For the first time in ages I feel like I'm myself, like I can be myself and just enjoy my happiness with Peter.

But a question keeps niggling at the back of my mind, what happens next?

I bite my lip because this question baffles me.

Where do Peter and I go from here? Where does my family go from here? Where does Daniel go from here?... Where do I go from here?

I'm about to think about this question further when I hear the distant sound of the front doorbell ringing. I don't move for a good long moment, not until I hear the bell ring again and I remember that I've dismissed Sophia.

I shuffle back into the house and walk though the sun room, making my way to the front hall. Who's at my door? Is it John or Michael, come to see Peter? Mother coming for some company? Does someone have the wrong house?

"Scotland Yard! If anyone is inside you are ordered to open the door or else we shall force our way in!"

I freeze in my place.

Scotland Yard? Why would they be coming to my house? What could be so urgent that they should break down the door? Have I done something wrong?

I swallow, reminding myself to breathe. The constable behind the door keeps banging on it and my heartbeat quickens. I clench my fists and move forward, with my hand on the doorknob I make sure a calm expression rests upon my face and I open the door.

A tall, broad-shouldered man stands in my doorway. His hair is dark, he has a tidy mustache and dark, liquid-like eyes. He's dressed in uniform, not unlike the shorter man beside him. I'm not surprised by this, but I am surprised by the two women standing behind them; one older woman I've never seen before, and Sophia herself.

"Ms. Wendy Darling?" the taller officer says.

I nod numbly.

"I am Officer Robert Clemens, may I come in?"

I find my voice, "O-Of course, Officer Clemens," I move aside and they all file into the hall. I lead them into the side drawing room and offer them to sit down.

They all decline.

"Miss Darling, we have reason to believe you are housing a suspect of murder," Officer Clemens tells me.

The floor falls out from beneath me and my breath gets caught in my throat. Suspect of murder? What are they talking about? I grab the back of an armchair for support, another hand goes to my chest, I stare at them, wide-eyed. I shake my head, "I-I don't know what you mean."

Sophia cuts in, "She's a liar, Officer Clemens, always was, always is," she looks at me, disgusted. "She was unfaithful to her fiance, don't trust her-"

"Thank you, Miss Sophia," Officer Clemens cuts across her. "That will be enough for now."

I look from Sophia to the officer, feeling as if my world is crumbling around me.

Officer Clemens takes out a notepad and looks down at it, "Miss Darling, are you in fact providing housing for a Mr. Peter Pan Hudson, adopted son of Christoph Hudson?"

My heart stops, Peter?

I can only nod.

"Is he here now, miss?"

I don't respond. I don't blink, don't see or hear anything.

"Miss?"

I clear my throat, blinking, "Y-Yes he is."

The officers exchange a look and Sophia and the woman beside her look at them, anxious, waiting to see what happens next. Officer Clemens turns to me and asks, "Would you be so kind as to retrieve him for us?"

My feet are rooted to the spot for a moment, but then I come to my senses and nod, making my way to the stairs. As I make my way up the staircase and down the hall I feel as if my feet are made of lead and I have difficulty walking.

Peter? Why would they want Peter? I don't understand- I stop dead in my tracks on the landing as realization sets in. Peter killed Christoph. He killed that horrible man to protect my family and Daniel and I. He killed that man for killing my father and for manipulating all of us. But- But how could they know it was Peter? How is he a suspect? My thoughts are racing and bouncing around in my head and I feel so confused, I lean against the wall for support. They have no evidence, there's no way- I gasp, feeling my heart constrict. But he announced Christoph's death in front of Daniel, when I went to warn him- Did he say 'I killed him?' Did he admit to it? Will they question Daniel? What's going to happen?

Numbly, almost unconsciously I stumble into my bedroom and close the door behind me. I slide down against the wood, sobbing frantically, losing control of myself and forgetting everything around me. Peter turns around in bed, looking over at me, his eyes half-closed. When he realizes it's me crying on the floor he blinks several times and sits up.

"Wendy? What is it?"

I look up at him, my vision obscured by tears and I shake my head, sobbing.

"Oh Peter."

I begin to rock back and forth, growing even more frightened and anxious. Peter sees how distraught I am and I gets out of bed, hurrying over to me. He puts a hand on my shoulder, and cups my face with the other. He looks down at me, crouching beside me, concern etched all over his face. He looks just as frightened as I feel. Only, he's frightened because he has no idea why I am so upset.

He shakes his head, "I don't understand," he trails off. "Wendy, tell me what happened."

I'm sobbing so uncontrollably that I have to calm myself down before I can even get the words out, "Peter- Th-There's an officer downstairs," I hiccup. "He says you're a suspect for murdering Christoph Hudson!"

Peter freezes, unblinking, unfaltering.

"He's right downstairs!"

He opens and closes his mouth, his eyes are unchanging though. He's speechless.

I cry out, "What are we going to do?!"

Peter regains his composure and strokes my hair a little, "Don't worry about it, all right?" he nods. "Wash your face and when you feel better go downstairs and I'll get dressed and be down there in a few minutes-"

"But Peter, you did it," I hiss. "You killed him!"

He just nods.

"They'll kill you for it!"

"We'll see what happens-"

I latch onto him and he holds me in return, "Peter, I don't want you to die, I need you, I love you- Don't leave me!"

He rubs my back, kissing my head, "I won't leave you, ever, you can be sure of that," he sighs. "I promise you."

I pull away, looking into his eyes, "You can't promise me that."

"I can, and I do."

I stare at him for a good long minute before I stand up and leave the room to wash my face. I feel as if it takes me hours to stop crying and look presentable for the officers but when I feel all right I make my way back downstairs and find them seated in the drawing room, whispering. When I enter the two men stand and look at me expectantly.

"Peter will be right down."

The men nod and we stand in silence for a several minutes. I feel Sophia's eyes on me, examining me, scrutinizing me and I feel sicker. This woman is out to get me, and she'll stop at nothing to destroy Peter in order to hurt me. Just because she is so faithful to Daniel and she believes I was unfaithful to him. I take deep shaky breaths to calm myself but I feel jittery and scared all the same.

Finally, Peter walks into the room and the officers look anxious.

"Mr. Peter Pan Hudson?" Officer Clemens asks.

A muscle in Peter's neck tightens, but he nods.

The officers look to Sophia and the woman, Officer Clemens asks, "Miss Ayers, is this, in fact, Mr. Hudson's adopted son?" the woman beside Sophia nods. "And Miss Blanch, this is the man you say was here the day of the dispute between Mr. Shaw and Miss Darling?"

Sophia licks her lips, "That's him, sir."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I demand.

Officer Clemens looks at me briefly, "That remains to be seen Miss Darling but we will find out."

Everyone is silent and I look to Peter who looks at me with reassurance.

"Mr. Hudson-"

"Pan."

"Mr. Pan, may I ask you a few questions?"

"Yes."

Officer Clemens nods, "Theo, take the ladies out of the room, please-"

"Wendy will stay with me."

The other officer, Sophia, and the other woman are all standing, waiting for instruction.

"Very well," he looks to the other officer. "Theo, please."

The others leave and it's only Peter, Officer Clemens and I.

"Mr. Pan, please, sit," Officer Clemens sits in an armchair and Peter sits across from him on the sofa.

I sit down beside him and clutch his hand tightly, he squeezes my hand in return and we wait as the officer takes a notepad out of his jacket, and a pencil as well.

Officer Clemens begins to speak, "Mr. Pan, are you aware that your adopted father, Christoph Hudson, is dead."

Peter's hand tenses in mine and he says, "No sir, I did not."

"So you are, in fact, not aware that his body was found in his home last Wednesday, with severe stab wounds in his stomach?"

A sob escapes my throat and I cover my mouth.

Peter shakes his head, "I had no idea, sir."

"Mr. Pan are you aware that you might very well be the last person to ever see Mr. Hudson alive?" Officer Clemens drills.

"I know now, sir."

Officer Clemens pauses, and then says, "And as such you might also be the person who killed Mr. Hudson."

I take a deep, shuddering breath.

"That, I am not, Officer."

The officer looks unconvinced, "Yes well, Mr. Pan, can you tell me where you were last Wednesday? Miss Ayers, your father's chamber maid says that you went to his house that night."

"I was with Wendy last Wednesday," Peter says. "We went to the house because I thought I had left a book I wanted to show Wendy in my father's study."

"Miss Darling," the officer says, as if he's seeing me in a new light. "You were also in the house the night Mr. Hudson was killed?"

I choke a little, "Yes, sir."

He nods, "And did either of you see Mr. Hudson that night?"

"No," Peter says as I shake my head. "We only went into the study for a moment and then we left, we didn't see anyone."

I wonder if this is wise though. They might question Daniel and he might tell them of how Peter announced Christoph's death to us. If we say we found him there dead they'll wonder why we didn't call someone. What is the smart thing to do?

"Miss Ayers found your father that same night, dead, in the hall, Mr. Pan," Officer Clemens says. "Do you know how this could have happened?"

Peter shakes his head, "I have no idea sir."

"Mr. Pan, Miss Darling, I'll need you both to please come down to the station for further questioning-"

"Why?" I cry out. "We didn't do anything!"

Officer Clemens looks from Peter to myself and then says, "That may be Miss Darling, but we'll still need to question you further."

Peter stands up and then helps me to my feet. I have trouble walking, as my legs are locking and giving way underneath me, feeling as if they're made of paste. Peter helps me to the door and then into the hall. I feel as if my world is collapsing around me as we go outside, out into the beautiful morning sun.

The day started out so wonderfully, how could it be going so very horribly now?

What if they find out Peter was the one who killed Christoph? Will they kill him for it? Will he be locked up forever? Will they put us into asylum if we tell them the truth? There's no way to prove our innocence, no way for us to show that Peter was defending himself and my own life. I feel so hopeless and frightened.

I look into Peter's eyes as they put us into the back of the police coach. I'm searching his soul for some kind of answer, but as he looks back at me, I know he can't give me one, and that scares me even more.  
**  
Author's Note:** Drama! Let me know what you thought of this crazy chapter, next one is coming soon!


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